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STORIES    OF    THE    SAINTS 


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BY 


CLARA    ERSKINE     CLEMENT 


EDITED   BY 

KATHERINE    E.   CONWAY 
FIFTH  EDITION 


BOSTON  AND    NEW  YORK 
HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND   COMPANY 

189s 


h^//0 


UkST.  1 


HISTORy  I 


Copyright,  1871, 1881,  and  1886, 
By  Clara.  Erskine  Clement. 

All  rights  reserved. 


27U  RivtniJe  Press,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  V   S.  A. 
Triuted  by  U.  0.  llougUtoa  &  Compauy. 


33etiicatetJ 

BY    PERMISSION 

AND  WITH  PROFOUND   RESPECT 
TO 

His  Grace 

THE    MOST    REVEREND   JOHN   J.  WILLIAMS 

Archbishop  of  Boston 

BY  THE  AUTHOR 


^^swm^ 


PREFACE. 


>t<«c 


The  title  of  the  present  work  sufficiently  indicates  its  general 
scope  and  purpose.  It  has  been  undertaken  to  satisfy  a  want 
often  felt  personally  by  the  writer  and  often  expressed  to  her  by 
others.  Those  who  go  abroad  and  travel  in  Christian  lands  meet 
at  every  step,  through  town  and  country,  in  the  broad  light  of 
day  and  in  the  mysterious  gloom  of  sacred  places,  symbolic 
forms  which  are  known  in  a  general  w^ay  to  represent  the  mys- 
teries and  facts  of  the  Christian  faith,  but  which  fail  to  recall 
them  to  the  uninitiated  beholder  in  anything  like  a  distinct  and 
accurate  manner.  Churches  are  dedicated  to  saints  hitherto  un- 
heard of;  and  streets,  sometimes  large  cities,  bear  their  names. 
Pictures,  even  of  saints  best  known,  are  seen,  in  churches  and 
art  galleries,  coupled  with  incidents  and  surroundings  that 
fairly  bewilder  the  mind. 

Nor  need  one  go  abroad  to  feel  thus  puzzled  and  perplexed. 
The  very  pictures  and  prints,  copied  from  the  Great  Masters, 
which  adorn  our  own  homes,  affect  us  similarly.  In  the  books 
which  lie  on  our  tables,  in  the  contributions  of  the  art  critics  to 
our  newspapers  and  magazines,  we  are  constantly  lighting  on 
references  to  names  and  facts  of  wliich  we  want  ampler  knowl- 
edge. They  come  to  us  invested  with  a  halo  of  sanctity  and 
mystery,  and  we  long  to  have  at  hand  some  book,  simple  and 


viii  PREFACE. 

accessible,  which  will  tell  us  all  about  them ;  and  this  is  just 
our  aim  in  the  following  pages. 

Though  containing  much  that  belongs  to  history  proper,  our 
book  does  not  profess  to  be  in  all  respects  a  true  history  of 
persons  and  facts.  Its  purpose  is  rather  to  show  forth  the 
conception  of  them  which  is  embodied  and  illustrated  in  art. 
History  and  legend  unite  in  this  conception.  The  artist's  indi- 
vidual fancy  must  also  be  allowed  for.  It  would  be  extremely 
difficult  to  isolate  what  is  purely  historical.  It  is  thus  in  all 
records  of  the  past.  The  difficulty  is  still  greater  in  all  religious 
narratives,  save  only  the  Inspired  Writings,  on  account  of  the 
marvellous,  which  forms  a  part  of  them,  and  which  can  be 
neither  wholly  accepted  nor  wholly  rejected.  Wonders  related 
in  the  lives  of  the  saints,  which  have  undoubtedly  a  basis  in 
historical  fact,  have  often  come  down  the  years  exaggerated, 
distorted,  or  invested  in  "  showy  human  colors,"  —  as  Cardinal 
Newman  warns  us  in  his  consideration  of  "  The  Internal  Char- 
acter of  Ecclesiastical  Miracles,"  —  either  through  the  infirmity 
of  credulous  or  over-zealous  chroniclers  or  through  the  malice  of 
the  enemies  of  the  Church. 

That  some  of  the  miracles  attributed  to  the  saints  should 
have  been  merely  fabled,  need  not  startle  nor  scandalize  even 
the  Catholic  reader,  nor  excite  prejudice  against  the  great  mass 
which  rest  on  evidence  at  least  as  firm  as  that  on  which  we  ac- 
cept the  records  of  profane  history ;  for,  to  quote  again  from 
the  above-named  eminent  authority,  "  it  as  little  derogates  from 
the  supernatural  gift  residing  in  the  Church  that  miracles  should 
have  been  fabricated  or  exaggerated,  as  it  prejudices  her  holiness 
that  within  her  pale  good  men  are  mixed  with  bad." 

An  additional  difficulty  arises  from  the  fact  that  the  origina- 
tors of  many  strange  stories  —  such,  for  example,  as  those  which 


PREFACE.  IX 

are  related  of  St.  Christopher,  St.  Hilarion,  St.  Nicholas  of  Myra, 
St.  George  the  Soldier-Saint,  etc.,  and  some  of  the  wonder-tales 
which  have  gathered  about  the  records  of  St.  Gregory  the  Great 
—  chose,  like  the  Greeks  of  old,  that  mythical  form  of  narration 
simply  to  indicate  more  strongly  some  moral  lesson.  Hence 
they  never  appealed  to  the  faith  of  their  hearers ;  nor  did  any 
of  these,  save  only  the  most  ignorant,  take  the  stories  in  their 
literal  sense.  Tor  this  method  of  popular  instruction  we  have 
even  a  divine  precedent,  —  Christ  himself  instructing  the 
multitude  by  parables. 

The  difficulties  of  the  historian,  however,  are  no  concern  of 
ours.  We  tell  in  words  the  story  told  in  art,  adding  only  as 
much  of  real  fact  as  the  mind  naturally  desires  to  know  in  con- 
nection with  the  subject.  In  heroes  of  the  supernatural  as  well 
as  of  the  natural  order,  — 

"  Our  elder  brothers,  and  of  one  blood,"  — 

we  feel,  so  to  speak,  a  family  pride,  not  alone  for  their  actual 
achievements,  but  even  for  the  fond  exaggerations  of  their 
disciples  and  admirers. 

As  to  what  must  be  set  down  as  unmistakably  legendary,  in- 
dependent of  its  helping  to  elucidate  the  great  works  of  art,  it 
has  often  an  intrinsic  beauty  of  its  own,  and  is  deeply  interesting 
as  illustrative  of  the  religious  mind  of  past  ages,  —  ages  of  faith 
more  ardent  than  our  own,  which  merited  and  often  won  open 
and  extraordinary  recompenses. 


TABLE    OF   CONTENTS. 

Pass 
SYMBOLISM  IN   ART 1 

LEGENDS  AND   STORIES   ILLUSTRATED   IN   ART 37 

GENERAL  INDEX 325 


SYMBOLISM    IN    ART. 


St.  Augustine  calls  the  represen- 
tations of  art  lihri  idiotarum  ("  the 
books  of  the  simple  "),  and  there  is  no 
doubt  that  the  first  object  of  Christian 
art  was  to  teach;  and  the  aim  of  the 
artist  was  to  render  the  truth  he  de- 
sired to  present  without  regard  to  the 
beauty  of  the  representation :  he  ad- 
hered to  the  actual,  and  gave  no  play 
to  imagination  or  sesthetics.  But  later 
in  its  history,  this  art  has  been  influ- 
enced by  legends  and  doctrines  in  the 
choice  of  subjects,  and  these  have  been 
variously  rendered,  in  accordance  with 
the  character,  the  aesthetic  cultivation, 
and  the  refinement  of  the  artist.  But 
from  its  infancy  to  the  present  time, 
there  have  been  certain  characteristic  figures,  attributes  or  symbols, 
which  have  made  a  part  of  the  language  of  what  may  be  called 
Christian  Art.  These  are  meaningless  —  or  worse,  perhaps  a  de- 
formity —  to  the  eye  of  one  who  understands  them  not ;  but  they 
add  much  to  the  power  of  a  representation,  to  the  depth  of  sentiment 
and  expression  when  rightly  apprehended.  These  symbols  are  used 
in  two  ways,  —  to  express  a  general  fact  or  sentiment,  or  as  the 
especial  attribute  or  characteristic  of  the  person  represented.  My 
present  limits  allow  but  an  imperfect  and  superficial  consideration 
of  this  subject. 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 


I.    GENERAL  SYMBOLS. 


The  Glory,  Aureole,  and  Nimbus,  all  represent  light  or  bright- 
ness, and  are  the  symbols  of  sanctity.  The  nimbus  surrounds  the 
head ;  the  aureole  encircles  the  whole  body,  and  the  glory  is  the 
union  of  the  nimbus  and  aureole.  The  nimbus  belongs  to  all  holy 
persons  and  saints  as  well  as  to  the  representations  of  divinity.  The 
aureble,  strictly  speaking,  belongs  only  to  the  persons  of  the  Godhead; 
but  the  Virgin  Mary  is  invested  with  it,  (1)  when  she  holds  the 
'Saviour  in  her  arms,  (2)  in  pictures  of  the  Assumption,  (3)  when 
she  is  represented  as  the  intercessor  for  humanity  at  the  last  judg- 
ment, (4)  when  represented  as  the  Woman  of  the  Apocalypse. 
The  aureole  has  also  been  used  as  a  symbol  of  the  apotheosis  of  holy 
persons ;  but  this  is  a  degeneration  from  its  original  design  and  the 
use  assigned  it  in  ancient  traditions.  The  glory  also  belongs  espe- 
cially to  God  and  the  Virgin.  The  oblong  aureole  is  called,  in  Latin, 
vesica  piscis ;  in  Italian,  the  mandorla  (almond).  The  cruciform  or 
triangular  nimbus,  or  the  figure  of  a  cross  in  the  nimbus,  belongs 
properly  to  the  persons  of  the  Trinity;  the  nimbus  of  saints  and 
lesser  beings  should  be  circular.  A  square  nimbus  is  used  for 
persons  still  living  when  the  representation  was  made ;  the  hex- 
agonal nimbus  for  allegorical  personages.  These  symbols  did*  not 
appear  in  Christian  art  until  the  fifth  century,  and  during  the  fif- 
teenth and  sixteenth  centuries  they  disappeared.  They  are,  however, 
employed  in  the  present  day,  although  not  with  the  careful  distinc- 
tion in  the  employment  of  the  various  forms  which  characterized 
their  earliest  use.  The  color  of  these  s^^mbols  in  painting  is  golden, 
or  that  which  represents  light ;  in  some  instances,  in  miniatures  or 
on  glass,  they  are  of  various  colors.  Didron  believes  these  to  be 
symbolical,  but  is  not  sure  of  the  signification  of  the  colors. 

The  Fish.  A  fish,  most  frequently  a  dolphin,  was  the  earliest 
and  most  universal  of  the  Christian  symbols.  It  has  several  signi- 
fications. The  Greek  word  for  fish,  IX0Y2,  is  composed  of  the 
initial  letters  of  the  Greek  'It^o-ov?  X^io-tos,  ©cou  Y109,  2(uT7/p,  the 
Latin  translation  of  which  is  "Jesus  Christus,  Dei  filius,  Salvator," 
—  thus  forming  the  initial  anagram  of  this  title  of  Jesus;  and  these 
characters  are  found  in  many  ancient  inscriptions  and  upon  works  of 
art.     The  fish  is  an  emblem  of  water  and  the  sacrament  of  baptism ; 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 


of  the  vocation  of  the  Christian  apostle,  or  "  fisher  of  men,"  especially 
in  the  hands  of  St.Peter  and  others  who  were  eminently  successful 
in  making  converts^  it  is  emblematic  of  Christians  generally,  they 
being  likened  to  fish  in  the  call  of  the  Apostles  (xMatt.  iv.  19),  and 
also  typified  by  the  miraculous  draught  of  fishes  (John  xxi.).  But 
it  is  not  true  that  the  fish  is  alwa3's  a  Christian  emblem  ;  according 
to  Didron  it  is  never  met  as  such  in  Greek  art,  and  he  believes  that 
this  emblem  on  the  tombs  in  the  catacombs  at  Rome  signified  the 
occupation  of  the  person  buried  in  them. 

The  Cross  has  a  deeper  meaning  than  that  of  other  symbols ; 
it  is  in  a  certain  sense  not  merely  the  instrument  of  the  sufferings 
of  Christ,  but  himself  suffering,  —  ubi  crux  est  martyr  ibi.  In 
Christian  iconography  the  cross  holds  a  most  important  place. 
According  to  the  tradition  or  legend  of  the  True  Cross,  it  was  co- 
existent Tvith  the  world,  and  will  appear  at  the  last  judgment. 
Chosroes  believed  that  in  possessing  the  cross  of  Christ  he  possessed 
the  Saviour,  and  so  it  was  enthroned  at  his  right  hand.  Thus  in 
early  representations  of  the  three  persons  of  the  Godhead  the  cross 
without  the  figure  was  considered  not  only  to  recall  Christ  to  the 
mind,  but  actually  to  show  him.  There  are  four  differently  formed 
crosses :  The  Latin,  or  Roman,  Cross 
(1)  is  believed  to  be  like  that  on 
which  Christ  suffered,  and  is  the 
one  placed  in  the  hand  of  a  saint. 
This  cross  is  in  the  form  of  a  man 
with  the  arms  extended ;  the  dis- 
tance from  the  head  to  the  shoulders 
being  less  than  from  the  shoulders 
to  the  feet,  and  the  length  of  the 
arms  less  than  that  of  the  whole 
figure.  The  Greek  Cross  (2)  has 
four  equal  branches.     The  Cross  of 

St.  Andrew  (3)  is  a  cross  saltier,  or  an  X ;  and  the  Egyptian,  or 
"  Tau,"  Cross  (4)  has  but  three  branches,  like  the  letter  T.  This 
last  is  also  called  St.  Anthony's  Cross,  because  this  saint  is  repre- 
sented with  a  crutch  in  the  shape  of  the  "Tau,"  and  it  is  embroi- 
dered on  his  vestments.  It  is  also  assigned  as  the  cross  of  the  Old 
Testament,  and  the  brazen  serpent  is  represented  on  a  pole  with  this 


i 


^ 


4  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

form.  The  Patriarchal  Cross  is  of  the  same  shape  as  the  Latin  Cross, 
but  has  two  horizontal  bars.  There  are  numerous  varieties  of  the 
Greek  and  Latin  crosses,  such  as  the  ^laltese  Cross,  the  Cross  of 
Dorat,  and  various  others  which  pertain  in  some  cases  to  certain  lo- 
calities. The  cross  is  often  interlaced  or  combined  with  the  first  two 
letters  of  the  name  of  Christ  in  Greek.  This  monogram  itself  is  called 
the  Labarum,  or  the  Cross  of  Constantine,  this  being  the  form  of  the 
legendary  cross  which  he  saw  in  the  sky,  and  which  was  inscribed,  ac- 
cording to  Eusebius,  EN  TOYTQ  NIKA  ("Conquer  by  this").  Fre- 
quently, when  the  cross  was  made  of  gold  or  silver,  the  five  wounds 
of  Christ  were  represented  by  inserting  in  it  as  many  carbuncles  or 
rubies,  there  being  one  in  the  centre  and  one  at  each  extremity. 

The  Lamb  has  been  an  emblem  of  the  Saviour  from  the  earliest 
period  of  Christian  art.  It  w^as  the  type  of  him  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  the  name  given  him  by  St.  John  the  Baptist  (John.  i.  28). 
"When  standing,  bearing  the  cross  or  a  banner,  with  a  nimbus  about 
the  head,  it  is  the  Lamb  of  God,  and  is  frequently  inscribed  Ucce 
Agnus  Dei.  The  Twelve  Apostles  are  represented  by  as  many  lambs ; 
while  the  thirteenth,  the  symbol  of  Christ,  bears  the  cross  or  has  a 
nimbus  about  the  head,  and  is  frequently  larger  than  the  others. 
The  lamb,  called  the  Apocalyptic  Lamb,  has  seven  horns  and  seven 
eyes  (Rev.  v.  6).  The  lamb  is  also  a  general  symbol  of  modesty, 
urity,  and  innocence,  as  when  made  the  attribute  of  St.  Agnes. 

^HE  Lion  is  another  symbol  of  Christ,  the  "  Lion  of  Judah,"  and 
is  sometimes  represented  with  a  cruciform  nimbus.  According  to 
an  Eastern  tradition,  the  cub  of  the  lion  is  born  dead,  and  is  licked 
by  its  sire  until  it  comes  to  life  on  the  third  (lay.^^  HcJio^  it  is  sym- 
bolical of  the  resurrection.  It  is  given,  to /St.  Jerome  knd  other 
hermits  as  the  emblem  of  solitude  ;  to  those  who"pcrished  in  the 
amphitheatre  as  the  symbol  of  their  death  ;  and  is  placed  at  the  feet 
of  some  to  denote  their  courage  and  fortitude  under  the  sufferings 
of  martyrdom. 

The  Pelican,  who  tears  open  her  breast  to  feed  her  young  with 
her  blood,  is  th«  emblem  of  our  redemption  through  the  sufferings 
of  Christ ;  it  is  also  a  symbol  of  the  Eucharist. 

The  Dragon  is  the  symbol  of  Satan  and  sin.  It  is  represented 
as  conquered  by  Christianity,  as  in  the  legends  of  St.  Margaret,  St. 
Michael,  St.  George,  and  St.  Sylvester.     In  the  legend  of  St.  Martha 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  5 

it  represents  a  flood  and  pestilence.     The  "jaws  of  hell"  are  repre- 
sented by  the  open  mouth  of  a  dragon  emitting  flames. 

The  Serpent,  another  emblem  of  sin,  is  sometimes  placed  beneath 
the  feet  of  the  Virgin ;  sometimes  twined  around  a  globe,  to  indi- 
cate the  power  of  sin  over  the  entire  world.  In  some  symbolic 
pictures  of  the  Crucifixion  the  serpent  lies  dead  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross,  "  or,  if  alive,  looking  impotently  up  at  the  second  Adam  upon 
the  tree  of  our  salvation,  as  before,  according  to  art,  he  looked  tri- 
umphantly down  upon  our  first  parents,  from  the  tree  of  our  fall." 

The   Hind   or   Hart   is   the    especial   attribute   of  St.  Eustace,  i 
St.  Procopius,  St.  Giles,  an^  ^t.  Hubert.,    It  was  made  the  symbol 
""^f  religious  aspiration  by  the  "  sweet  singer  of  Israel "  (Psalm  xlii.), 
and  is  also  an  emblem  of  solitude  and  hermit  life. 

The  Unicorn.  This  fabulous  creature  was  said  to  be  able  to 
evade  all  pursuers  except  a  virgin  of  perfect  purity  in  heart,  mind, 
and  life.  It  is  given  as  an  attribute  only  to  the  Virgin  and  St.  Jus- 
tina,  and  is  the  emblem  of  female  chastity. 

The  Peacock  is  seen  on  tombs,  sarcophagi,  and  among  funereal 
emblems.  It  symbolizes  the  change  from  life  to  immortality.  It 
was  borrowed  from  pagan  art,  where  it  represented  the  apotheosis  of 
an  empress.  It  was  the  bird  of  Juno,  but  was  not  the  symbol  of 
pride  until  modern  times. 

The  Dove  is  the  emblem  of  the  soul  when  represented  as  issuing 
from  the  mouth  of  the  dying ;  an  emblem  of  purity  when  given  to 
the  Virgin  and  certain  female  saints  ;  also  the  symbol  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  of  spiritual  inspiration.  It  symbolizes  the  divine  Spirit 
when  it  hovers  over  holy  men,  as  the  emblem  of  their  heaven-sent 
inspiration ;  and  is  seen  in  pictures  of  the  Baptism  of  Christ,  the 
Pentecost,  and  the  Annunciation. 

The  Olive,  as  the  emblem  of  peace, 
is  given  to  the  Archangel  Gabriel  and 
to  some  saints.  It  is  seen  upon  the 
tombs  of  martyrs,  and  is  sometimes 
borne  by  the  angels  who  announce  the 
nativity. 

The  Palm.  The  use  of  the  palm 
as  the  symbol  of  martyrdom  is  au- 
thorized   by   Scripture    (Rev.    vii.    9). 


6 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 


It  belongs  to  all  the  "  noble  army  of  martyrs."  It  is  placed  in 
their  hands  and  carved  on  their  tombs.  It  is  sometimes  brought  to 
them  by  angels  as  if  from  heaven  itself.  It  is  very  much  varied 
ill  form  and  size. 

The   Lily,   wherever   seen,   has   but  one  signification,  which   is 

chastity  and  purity.  It  belongs  espe- 
cially to  pictures  of  the  Annunciation 
and  to  St.  Joseph,  whose  rod  was  said 
to  have  put  forth  lilies. 

Fruit  or  Flowers,  although  fre- 
quently employed  merely  as  ornaments, 
have,  under  certain  circumstances,  dif- 
ferent significations.  As  the  apple  is 
an  emblem  of  the  fall  in  Paradise,  in  many  pictures,  so  when  pre- 
sented to  the  infant  Saviour,  or  in  his  hand,  it  signifies  redemp- 
tion. Roses  are  illustrative  of  the  legends  of  St.  Elizabeth  of 
Hungary,  St.  Cecilia,  and  St.  Dorothea,  and  a  type  of  the  Virgin 
as  the  "liose  of  Sharon."  A  bursting  pomegranate  is  the  symbol 
of  a  liopeful  future.  Any  fruit  in  the  hand  of  St.  Catherine  is  a 
symbol  of  "  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit." 

The  Lamp,  Lantern,  or  Taper  is  most  frequently  the  symbol  of 
piety.  But  the  lamp,  as  the  attribute  of  St.  Lucia,  signifies  heavenly 
wisdom,  or  spiritual  light. 

Fire  and  Flames  are  emblems  of  zeal  and  fervor  of  soul,  or  of 
the  sufferings  of  martydom. 

The  Flaming  Heart  is  symbolical  of  fervent  piety  and  spiritual 
love. 

The  Crown,  when  on  the  head  of  the  Madonna,  makes  her  the 

I  Queen    of    Heaven    and    Regina    Angelorum. 

V  >/V  Y  j\  ll  //  y  When  the  attribute   of  a  martyr,   it  signifies 

V^-y^^. ^^^^2^     *^®   victory   over   sin    and    death,    or   denotes 

^ that  the  saint  was  of  royal  blood ;  in  the  lat- 

ter case  it  is  usually  placed  at  the  feet.  Among 
the  Jews  the  crown  was  tlie  ornamenr"'6f  a 
brfde,  and  to  the  present  time  it  is  placed  on 
the  head  of  a  nun  when  consecrated  as  the  Bride 
of  Christ.  For  this  reasori  it  is  more"  frequently 
seen  on  the  heads  of  female  saints,  while  those 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  7 

of  the  other \ex  hold  it  in  the  hand.  It  is  sometimes  a  mere  circlet, 
often  a  chaplet  of  flowers;  and  again  it  is  magnificent  with  gold  and 
precious  jewels. 

\  The  Sword,  Axe,  Lance,  and  Club  are  all  symhols  of  martyr- 
dom, and  are  the  attributes  of  certain  saints,  and  signify  the  manner 
of  death  they  suffered.  The  sword  is  also  an  attribute  of  the  warrior 
saints,  and  sometimes  is  an  emblem  of  a  violent  death,  without  being 
the  instrument  employed. 

The  Skull  and  Scourge  symbolize  penance. 

The  Shell,  pilgrimage. 

The  Bell  signifies  the  exorcism  of  evil  spirits. 

The  Anvil  is  the  attribute  of  St.  Adrian,  and  is  the  symbol  of  his 
death. 

The  Arrow  is  the  attribute  of  St.  Sebastian,  St.  Ursula,  and 
St.  Christina. 

The  Poniard,  of  St.  Lucia. 

The  Caldron,  of  St.  Cecilia  and  St.  John  the  Evangelist. 

The  Shears  and  Pincers,  of  St.  Agatha  and  St.  Apollonia. 

The  Wheels,  of  St.  Catherine. 

The  Standard,  or  Banner,  is  the  symbol  of  victory.  It  be- 
longs to  the  military  saints,  and  to  those  who  carried  the  gospel 
to  heathen  lands.  It  is  borne  by  Christ  after  the  resurrection. 
St.  Eeparata  and  St.  Ursula  are  the  only  female  saints  to  whom  it 
is  given. 

The  Chalice  is  the  emblem  of  faith,  and  is  an  attribute  of 
St.  Barbara.     With  a  serpent,  it  is  that  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist. 

The  Book,  in  the  hand  of  St.  Stephen,  is  the  Old  Testament ;  in 
the  hands  of  the  Evangelists  it  represents  their  own  writings.  In 
other  cases  it  is  the  Scriptures,  or  the  symbol  of  the  learning  and 
writings  of  the  saint  who  bears  it. 

The  Church,  in  the  hand  of  St.  Jerome,  is  the  symbol  of  his  love 
and  care  for  the  whole  Christian  Church.  In  other  cases  it  is  gen- 
erally the  model  of  some  particular  church,  and  the  saint  who  bears 
it  was  its  founder  or  first  bishop. 

The  Ship.  In  early  times  the  ark  was  the  symbol  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  but  later  any  ship  has  had  this  significance.  The  boat 
of  St.  Peter,  tempest-tossed  and  guided  by  Christ,  is  symbolical  of 
his  watchful  care  of  his  Church. 


8  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

The  Anchor  is  one  of  the  earliest  Christian  symbols.  It  is  seen 
in  the  cal;acombs  and  on  very  ancient  gems.  It  is  the  emblem  of 
immovable  hope  and  untiring  patience.  It  is  an  attribute  of  some 
saints  in  illustration  of  their  legends,  as  in  the  case  of  St.  Clement. 

The  Symbols  of  the  Passion  and  Crucifixion  are  numerous ; 
and  although  rarely  seen  in  the  catacombs  and  in  early  sculpture, 
they  are  constantly  found  in  churches.  They  are,  the  two  swords  of 
the  Apostles,  the  ear  of  Malchus,  St.  Peter's  sword,  the  pillar  and 
cord,  the  scourge,  the  crown  of  thorns,  the  three  dice,  the  spear,  the 
sponge,  the  nails,  the  cross,  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  hammer 
and  pincers,  the  ladder,  the  lantern,  the  boxes  of  spice  for  embalm- 
ing, the  seamless  garment,  the  purse,  and  the  cock.  The  five  wounds 
are  represented  by  the  hands  and  feet  with  a  heart  in  the  centre, 
each  pierced  with  one  wound ;  or  by  a  heart  alone,  with  five  wounds. 

Ears  of  Corn  and  Bunches  of  Grapes  were  symbols  of  the. bread 
and  wine  of  the  Holy  Eucharist ;  while  the  representations  of  the 
labors  of  the  vintage  were  typical  of  those  of  Christians  in  the  vine- 
yard of  the  Lord.  The  vine  or  vine  leaf  was  an  emblem  of  the 
Saviour,  the  true  vine. 

The  Candelabrum  was  an  emblem  of  Christ  and  his  Church,  the 
light  of  the  world.  With  seven  branches  it  refers  to  the  seven  gifts 
of  the  Spirit,  or  to  the  seven  churches  (Rev.  i.  20). 

Little  Naked  Bodies  are  the  symbols  of  the  souls  of  men,  and 
are  seen  in  pictures  of  St.  Michael  when  he  is  represented  as  the  Intro- 
ductor  of  souls.  They  are  also  placed  in  the  hand  which  symbolizes 
God  the  Father. 

II.     SYMBOLISM  OF  COLORS. 

In  ancient  art  each  color  had  a  mystic  sense  or  symbolism  ;  and 
its  proper  use  was  an  important  consideration,  and  carefully  studied. 

White  is  worn  by  the  Saviour  after  his  resurrection,  by  the  Virgin 
in  representations  of  the  Assumption,  by  women  as  the  emblem  of 
chastity,  by  rich  men  to  indicate  humility,  and  by  the  judge  as  the 
symbol  of  integrity.  \  It  is  represented  sometimes  by  silver  or  the  .^  3 
diamond ;  and  its  sentiment  is  purity,  virginity,  innocence,  faith,  joy, 
and  liglit. 

Red,  the  color  of  the  ruby,  speaks  of  royalty,  fire,  divine  love, 
the  Holy  Spirit,  creative  power,  and  heat.     In  an  opposite  sense  it 


^w      ,    __^  i^Ay  "y     ^^y 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  9 

symbolized  blood,  war,  and  hatred.  Bed  and  black  combined  were  the 
colors  of  Satan,  purgatory,  and  evil  spirits.  Red  and  white  roses  are 
emblems  of  love  and  innocence,  or  love  and  wisdom,  as  in  the  garland 
of  St.  Cecilia. 

Blue,  that  of  the  sapphire,  signified  heaven,  heavenly  love  and 
truth,  constancy  and  fidelity.     Chri 
blue  mantle;  St.  John,  a  blue  tunic, 

Green,   the  emerald,   the   color  of  spring,  expressed  hope  and 
victor 


ignihed  heaven,  heavenly  love  and 

u'ist  and  the  Yirgin  (Klary  wear  thti    t  n^ 

or    of    Rnrino"     PTnrpsspri     }ir>r»P    nt1^-^-' 


.  ELLOW  OR  Gold  was  the  pmlilpn^  (^f  fhff  «n^,  ^-iTp^g^oj^ogq  of  God, 
marriage,  and  fruitfulnesSj":''St.  Joseph'  and(St.  Peter' wear  yellow. 
Yellow  has  also  a  bad  signifiettttoTrivhen  it  has  a 'dirty,  dingy  hue, 
such  as  the  usual  dress  of  Judas,  and  then  signifies  jealousy,  incon- 
stancy, and  deceit. 

Violet  or  Amethyst  signified  passion  and  suffering,  or  love  and 
truth.     Penitents,  as  the  Magdalene,  wear  it.     The  Madonna  wears 
it  after  the  crucifixion,  and  Christ  after  the  jzesu-rr^atioa* 
s.     Gray  is  the  color  of  penance,   mourning,   humility,   or   accused 
innocence. 

Black  with  white  signified  humility,  mourning,  and  purity  of  life. 
Alone,  it  spoke  of  darkness,  wickedness,  and  death,  and  belonged  to 
Satan.     In  pictures  of  the  Temptation,  Jesus  sometimes  wears  black. 

III.     SYMBOLS  OF  GOD  THE   FATHER. 

XrvA 
Before  the  twelfth  century  there  were  no  portraits  of  God  the 

Father,  and  the  symbol  used  to  indicate  his  presence  was  a  hand 
issuing  from  the  clouds.  This  hand  when  entirely  open  is  in  the  act 
of  bestowing,  and  has  rays  from  each  finger.  It  was  generally  repre- 
sented in  the  act  of  benediction  ;  and  the  position  showed  whether  it 
belonged  to  Eastern  or  Western,  or  to  Greek  or  Latin  art,  —  for  the 
benedictory  gesture  differs  in  the  two  churches.  "  In  the  Greek 
Church  it  is  performed  with  the  forefinger  entirely  open,  the  middle 
finger  slightly  bent,  the  thumb  crossed  upon  the  third  finger,  and  the 
little  finger  bent.  This  movement  and  position  of  the  five  fingers 
form  more  or  less  perfectly  the  monogram  of  the  Son  of  God."  The 
Latin  benediction  is  given  with  the  third  and  little  fingers  closed,  the 
thumb  and  the  other  two  fingers  remaining  open  and  straight.     This 


10  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

is  said  to  symbolize  the  three  persons  of  the  Trinity  by  the  open 
fingers,  and  the  two  natures  of  Christ  by  the  closed.  The  hand  is 
frequently  surrounded  by  the  cruciform  nimbus,  wliich  in  the  early 
centuries  was  given  to  God  alone.  The  hand  is  most  frequently  seen 
in  pictures  of  the  Baptism  of  Christ;  the  Agony  in  the  Garden  ;  in 
the  Crucifixion,  where  it  is  placed  on  the  summit  of  the  cross  in  the 
act  of  benediction ;  and  when  Jesus  is  represented  as  reascending  to 
heaven  after  his  death,  bearing  the  cross  in  his  hand,  the  right  hand 
of  the  Father  is  extended  to  him  as  if  *'  in  a  manner  to  assist  him  to 
rise."  In  another  representation  of  the  hand  of  God  it  is  filled  with 
little  naked  figures  whose  hands  are  joined  as  if  in  prayer.  These 
are  the  souls  of  the  righteous  who  have  returned  to  God. 

The  next  symbol  of  the  Father  was  a  face  in  the  clouds,  then  a 
bust;  and  gradually  by  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century  a  figure 
and  distinct  characteristics  represented  the  first  person  of  the  God- 
head. In  the  besfinninor  there  was  little  or  no  distinction  between 
the  representations  of  the  Father  and  Son  ;  but  gradually  the  Father 
■was  made  older,  while  the  place  of  honor,  the  royal  crown  on  his  head, 
and  the  globe  in  his  hand  indicated  a  superior  dignity  and  consider- 
ation.^ From  this  time  to  that  of  the  Renaissance,  however,  the 
representations  of  God  were  but  little  more  than  those  of  a  pope  or 
king ;  the  triple  tiara  was  indeed  increased  by  the  addition  of  two 
more  crowns,  and  when  in  the  garments  of  a  king  a  nimbus  encircled 
the  crown.  With  the  aesthetic  genius  and  progress  of  the  Renais- 
sance, with  Michael  Angelo,  Perugino,  and  Raphael,  came  representa- 
tions of  God  that  more  satisfactorily  embody  that  mental  conception 
which  can  never  be  embodied,  —  the  conception  of  God,  of  Jehovah, 
the  Creator  and  Ancient  of  days.  But  at  length  it  came  to  be  remem- 
bered that  no  personal  representation  of  the  Father  should  ever  be 
made.  No  mortal  man  hath  seen  or  can  see  him  ;  and  Jesus,  being 
the  Word,  was  the  speech  of  God,  and  was  the  fitting  representation 
of  the  Father  whenever  he  had  spoken.  Since  the  sixteenth  century 
the  Father  has  been  symbolized  by  the  triangle,  which  is  his  linear 
emblem,  or  some  other  geometrical  figure  inscribed  with  his  name, 
and  surrounded  with  rays  of  light.  Tiiis  radiating  circle  is  itself  an 
emblem  of  eternity.  Sometimes  a  flood  or  blaze  of  light  alone  is 
the  symbol  of  the  **  appearance  of  brightness "  which   the  prophet 

^  Christ  AH  God,  equal  to  the  Father  ;  as  man,  iuferior  to  the  Father. 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  11 

describes  (Ezek.  viii.  2) ;  but  the  triangle  became  extremely  popular 
on  account  of  the  ideas  or  teaching  which  it  embodied.  Here  the 
Father,  represented  by  his  name,  in  Hebrew,  occupied  the  centre  of 
the  triangle  which  symbolized  the  Trinity,  and  all  was  contained  in 
the  circle  of  Eternity. 

This  abstruse  symbol  is  often   seen   in  the  decorations  of  the 
churches  of  the  present  day  and  upon  the  vestments  of  bishops. 

IV.     SYMBOLS   OF  GOD  THE  SON. 

The  usual  symbols  of  Christ  have  been  mentioned  under  the  head 
of  general  symbols;  for  they  are  capable  of  various  significations,  and 
are  employed  as  attributes  of  saints  or  to  denote  their  characteristics. 
They  are  the  glory,  aureole,  or  nimbus,  the  fish,  cross,  lamb,  and 
lion.  The  traditions  of  the  earliest  portraits  of  Christ  will  be  found 
by  referring  to  the  legends  of  King  Abgarus  and  St.  Veronica.  From 
the  beginning  of  Christian  art,  Christ  has  been  represented  by  por- 
traits rather  than  symbols,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  render  them 
quite  unmistakable.  In  the  earliest  representations  of  the  Crucifixion, 
it  was  surrounded  with  various  symbols ;  and  the  aim  of  the  artists 
■who  painted  them  was  to  portray  the  mysterious  death  which  convulsed 
Nature,  raised  the  dead,  and  wrought  mighty  miracljs^rajther  JhiiiLlh^ 
mere  physical  sulFenngs  and  hTTman  death  which  later  art  presents. 

Among  the  symbols  thus  j&sed  were  jth^^^juji^and  moon,  repre- 
sented by  the  classic  figures  of  Sol  and  Luna,  with  the  rays  and 
ciesceut,  ur  sealed"  m  their  orbs  surrounded  "witli  clouds,  with  their 
right  hands~raised  to  the  cheek,  an  ancientsign  of  sorrow.  _  Again, 
they  bore  torches  reversed.  ^Figures  are  seen  rising  from  tombs  and 
~lroin  the  water,  showing  that  the  dead  shall  rise  from  sea  and  land. 
Earth  and  Ocean  are  also  symbolized.  In  one  ancient  ivory.  Earth 
is  half  nude  and  sits  beside  a  tree ;  in  one  hand  she  holds  a  cornu- 
copia, the  symbol  of  abundance,  while  a  serpent  nurses  at  her  breast, 
the  emblem  of  life  nourished  by  the  earth.  The  ocean  is  as  a  river- 
_god^iding  on  a  dolphin,  or  holding  a  subverted  urnTlrom  which  the 
water  pours  forth.  The  church  and  the  synagogue  are  typified  by 
females ;  the  one  on  the  right  or  place  of  honor,  the  church,  holds  a 
banner  and  gazes  up  at  the  Saviour,  while  on  the  left  the  synagogue 
turns  her  back  as  if  rebellious.     The  Virgin  and  St.  John  are  ever 


12  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

present  at  the  crucifixion,  from  earliest  to  latest  time.  Their  hands 
are  often  raised  to  the  cheek  in  token  of  affliction,  and  the  disciple 
bears  the  Gospel  in  his  hand.  Angels  sometimes  hold  a  crown  above 
the  head  of  Christ,  or  hang  from  the  cross  in  attitudes  of  anguish. 
The  presence  of  the  Father  is  shown  by  the  hand  before  described, 
Iwhich  holds  the  crown  or  is  in  the  act  of  blessing.  Other  sj-mbols 
J;Are  the  serpent  twined  about  the  foot  of  the  cross ;  the  pelican  tear- 
ing her  breast  to  feed  her  young,  an  emblem  of  redemption,  also  of 
the  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist;  a  female  figure  crowned  with  towers 
supposed  to  represent  Jerusalem  ;  a  skull  symbolizes  Adam  ;  the 
sacritice  of  a  heifer  t3'pifies  the  Jewish  rites  ;  and  sometimes  the 
Evangelists  are  represented  writing  their  Gospels,  while  their  winged 
symbols  whisper  in  their  ears.  These  are  the  most  important  acces- 
sories of  the  symbolical  representations  of  the  Crucifixion  ;  the  histor- 
ical easily  explain  themselves.  In  many  ancient  crucifixions  the 
figure  of  Christ  is  clothed  in  a  robe.  Some  had  a  drapery  from  the 
hips  to  the  knees.  The  draped  figures  are  mostly,  if  not  all,  of 
Byzantine  origin ;  and  there  is  a  legend  which  is  given  as  a  reason 
for  this  mode  of  representation  :  "  A  priest  who  had  exhibited  to 
the  people  a  figure  of  Christ  only  cinctui'ed  with  a  cloth  was  visited 
by  an  apparition  which  said,  'All  ye  go  covered  w^th  various  raiment, 
and  me  ye  show  naked.  Go  forthwith  and  cover  me  with  clothing.* 
The  priest,  not  understanding  what  was  moant,  took  no  notice  ;  and 
on  the  third  day  the  vision  appeared  again,  and  having  scourged 
him  severely  with  rods,  said,  '  Have  I  not  told  you  to  cover  me 
with  garments  ?  Go  now  and  cover  with  clothing  the  picture  in 
"which  I  appear  crucified.'  " 

V.     SYMBOLS   OF  THE   HOLY  GHOST. 

From  the  sixth  century  to  the  present  time,  the  dove  has  been 
the  constant  and  universal  symbol  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  appears  in 
illustrations  of  the  Scripture  scenes,  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  is  men- 
tioned from  the  "moving  upon  the  face  of  the  waters"  to  the  Day  of 
Pentecost.  There  are  also  many  re})rcsentations  of  his  Mppeurance  in 
historical  scenes,  and  in  others  which  are  partly  or  wliolly  legi-ndary. 
The  dove  is  often  present  at  the  Nativity  and  the  Annunciation :  it 
issues  from  the  rod  of  Joseph,  thus  designating  him  to  be  the  spouse 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  13 

of  the  Virgin ;  it  hovers  above  the  heads  of  holy  men  and  saints, 
showing  that  their  inspiration  is  heaven-sent,  —  among  these  are 
David,  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  St.  Jerome,  St.  Teresa,  and  others. 
Another  representation,  intensely  symbolical,  is  that  of  the  Saviour 
surrounded  by  seven  doves ;  they  are  of  snowy  whiteness,  and  have 
the  cruciform  nimbus ;  they  are  emblems  of  the  seven  gifts  of  the 
Spirit  with  which  Christ  was  endowed,  —  wisdom,  understanding, 
counsel,  strength,  knowledge,  piety,  and  fear  (Isa.  xi.).  These  doves 
are  frequently  placed  with  three  on  each  side  and  one  at  the  top, 
thus  forming  a  kind  of  aureole.  It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to 
observe  that  during  the  Middle  Ages  seven  was  esteemed  a  mystic 
number.  There  were  seven  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  seven  sacra- 
ments ;  seven  planets  ;  seven  days  in  the  week  ;  seven  branches 
on  the  candlestick  of  Moses ;  seven  liberal  arts ;  seven  churches  of 
Asia ;  seven  mysterious  seals ;  seven  stars  and  seven  symbolic  trum- 
pets ;  seven  heads  of  the  Dragon  ;  seven  joys  and  seven  sorrows 
of  the  Virgin ;  seven  penitential  psalms ;  seven  deadly  sins  ;  seven 
canonical  hours.  Even  Mohammed  says,  in  the  Koran,  that  "  God 
visited  the  skies,  and  formed  there^  seven  heavens"  (Koran  ii.  27). 
Some  cathedrals  have  seven  chapels,  as  those  at  Eheims  and  Chartres. 
During  the  tenth  century  the  Holy  Ghost  was  sometimes  repre- 
sented as  a  man ;  but  this  representation  was  never  received  with  as 
much  favor  as  the  other.  He  was  made  of  every  age,  from  the 
earliest  to  the  latest  years  of  life.  As  a  little  child,  he  floated  on  the 
waters ;  as  a  young  child,  he  was  in  the  arms  of  the  Father ;  his  age 
is  according  to  the  fancy  of  the  artist,  or  the  supposed  requirements 
of  the  representation.  Among  the  legendary  pictures  in  which  he 
was  thus  represented,  is  that  of  the  reception  of  Christ  in  heaven, 
after  his  earthly  mission  was  ended ;  the  Holy  Ghost  is  seated 
by  the  Father,  and  has  a  book,  symbolizing  wisdom.  He  blesses 
Jesus,  as  does  the  Father ;  he  also  assists  at  the  coronation  of  the 
Virgin.  In  some  instances  the  two  representations  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  were  combined  by  the  figure  of  a  man  with  a  dove  on  his  head 
or  hand.  Still  another  symbol  is  that  of  a  dove  from  which  ema- 
nate rays  of  light,  spreading  out  in  every  direction,  forming  a  radi- 
ating aureole  about  it.  The  dove  is  also  one  of  the  general  symbols 
of  art,  and  as  such  is  emblematical  of  purity  and  innocence,  which 
signification  was   made    most  emphatic    by  its  use  as   the  sacrifice 


14  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

for  purification,  under  the  Jewish  law.  As  before  mentioned,  it 
is  the  attribute  of  certain  female  saints,  denoting  chastity  and 
purity. 

VI.     SYMBOLS  OF  THE  TRINITY. 

Representations  of  the  Divine  Three  in  One  were  employed  in 
art  from  its  earliest  ages.  It  was  symbolized  by  the  combination  of 
three  triangles,  three  circles,  three  fishes,  and  many  other  representa- 
tions more  obscure  in  their  meanings.  In  later  art  the  three  persons 
of  the  Trinity  have  been  represented  by  three  human  figures,  each 
with  its  special  attribute,  that  of  the  Holy  Ghost  being  the  dove. 
Another  mode  represents  the  Father  and  Son  with  the  dove  between 
them  ;  in  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries  the  dove  was  often 
seen  hovering  between  the  first  and  second  persons  of  the  Trinity, 
with  the  tips  of  the  wings  touching  the  lips  of  each.  This  represen- 
tation is  called  the  double  procession  of  the  Spirit ;  illustrative  of  the 
words  of  the  Nicene  Creed,  "  proceeding  from  the  Father  and  the 
Son."  This  representation  belongs  to  the  Latin  Church.  In  these 
representations,  when  the  locality  is  heaven,  the  figures  are  always 
seated.  There  is  a  device  called  the  Italian  Trinity,  which  was  pop- 
ular from  the  twelfth  to  the  seventeenth  century.  In  this  the  Father 
holds  a  crucifix  by  the  ends  of  the  transverse  beam,  the  figure  of 
Christ  hanging  between  his  knees ;  the  dove  proceeds  downwards 
from  the  lips  of  the  Father,  and  touches  the  head  of  the  Son,  or  is 
merely  sitting  on  the  cross.  Some  attempts  have  been  made  to 
embody  this  mystery,  by  the  representation  of  a  body  with  three 
heads,  or  a  head  with  three  faces;  but  they  arc  only  frightful  and 
monstrous. 

VII.     SYMBOLS  OF  ANGELS. 

According  to  Dionysius  the  Areopagite,  there  are  three  divisions 
of  angels,  and  these  each  divided  into  three  classes  or  choirs,  making 
nine  in  all  :  — 

I.    Councillors  of  God,  consisting  of  — 

1.  The  SERAriTiM,  rcjn-cscntcd  as  covered  with  eyes. 

2.  The  Cherubim,  rej)rusented  with  six  wings,  and  usually  stand- 
ing on  wheels,  according  to  the  description  of  Ezekiel.     Sometimes 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  15 

they  have  an  open  book.     These  two  orders  stand  always  before  God, 
praising  and  adoring  him. 

3.  Thrones  are  represented  carrying  a  throne  or  tower,  and  their 
duty  is  to  support  the  throne  of  God. 

II.  Governors.  —  These  rule  the  stars  and  regulate  the  universe. 

4.  Dominations,  represented  with  a  sword,  a  triple  crown  and 
sceptre,  or  an  orb  and  cross. 

5.  Virtues.  —  These  carry  a  battle-axe  and  pennon  or  a  crown 
and  censer,  and  are  in  complete  armor. 

6.  Fowlers.  —  These  hold  a  baton,  or  are  in  the  act  of  scourging 
or  chaining  evil  spirits. 

III.  Messengers  of  God. 

7.  Princedoms  or  Principalities.  —  These  are  in  armor,  with 
pennons,  or  holding  a  lily. 

8.  Archangels.  — Of  these,  three  are  universally  known  by  name, 
especially  venerated,  and  depicted  in  Christian  Art :  — 

a.  Michael  ("  like  unto  God "),  captain-general  of  the  host  of 
heaven,  protector  of  the  Hebrew  nation,  conqueror  of  the  hosts 
of  hell ;  lord  and  guardian  of  souls,  patron  saint  and  prince  of  the 
Church  Militant. 

h,  Gabriel  ("God  is  my  strength"),  guardian  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  the  bearer  of  important  messages,  the  angel  of  the  Annun- 
ciation, the  preceptor  of  the  patriarch  Joseph. 

c.  Raphael  ("  the  medicine  of  God  "),  the  chief  of  guardian  angels, 
the  conductor  of  the  young  Tobias. 

Tradition  names  four  other  archangels  :  — 

d.  Uriel  ("the  light  of  God"),  the  strong  companion,  the  regent 
of  the  sun,  the  teacher  of  Esdras.-^ 

e.  Chamuel  ("  one  who    sees   God ")  is  believed  by  some  to  be 

1  Uriel  is  represented  in  Christian  Art  as  holding  in  his  right  hand  a  drawn 
sword  across  his  breast,  with  flames  on  his  left.  Another  tradition  names  the 
three  last-mentioned  archangels  as  follows  :  Sealtiel,  the  Praying  Spirit,  said  to 
be  the  angel  who  appeared  to  Agar  in  the  wilderness,  whom  Art  dei)icts  with  face 
and  eyes  cast  down,  and  his  hands  clasped  upon  his  breast,  as  if  he  were  a  peni- 
tent; Jehiulicl,  the  Eenninerator,  supposed  to  be  the  angel  whom  God  sent  before 
the  children  of  Israel,  and  who  in  pictures  holds  a  golden  crown  in  his  right  hand, 
and  a  scourge  of  three  black  cords  in  his  left ;  Barachiel,  the  Helper,  said  to  be 
the  angel  who  spoke  to  Abraham,  and  who  rebuked  Sara  when  she  laughed,  and 
who  is  painted  with  the  lap  of  his  cloak  filled  with  white  roses. 


16  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

the  one  who  wrestled  with  Jacob,  and  appeared  to  Christ  during  his 
agony  iu  the  garden  ;  but  others  believe  that  this  was  Gabriel. 

/.  JopniEL  ("the  beauty  of  God")  the  guardian  of  the  tree  of 
knowledge,  and  the  one  who  di'ove  Adam  and  Eve  from  the  Garden 
of  Eden,  tlie  protector  of  those  who  seek  truth,  the  preceptor  of  the 
sons  of  Noah,  the  enemy  of  all  who  pursue  vain  knowledge. 

g.  Zadkiel  ("the  righteousness  of  God").  According  to  some 
authorities  he  stayed  the  hand  of  Abraham  from  sacrificing  Isaac ; 
but  others  believe  that  this  was  done  by  Michael. 

The  attributes  of  Michael  are  the  sword  and  scales ;  of  Gabriel, 
the  lily  ;  of  Raphael,  the  staff  and  gourd  of  the  pilgrim ;  of  Uriel, 
a  roll  and  book;  of  Chamuel,  a  cup  and  staff;  of  Jophiel,  a  flaming 
sword  ;  and  of  Zadkiel,  the  sacrificial  knife.  When  represented  merely 
as  archangels  and  not  in  their  distinctive  characters,  they  are  in 
complete  armor,  holding  their  swords  with  points  upwards,  and 
sometimes  with  trumpets. 

9.  Angels.  —  Variously  represented  according  to  the  purpose  for 
which  they  are  sent  forth. 

The  Greek  word  for  angel  signifies  literally  "  a  bringer  of  tidings  ; " 
therefore  this  term,  though  applied  to  all  heavenly  beings  below  the 
Godhead,  belongs  most  properly  to  archangels  and  angels  who  are 
brought  into  communication  with  mankind.  When  Christ  is  rep- 
resented with  wings  in  Greek  art,  it  is  as  "  the  great  angel  of  the 
will  of  God."  John  the  Baptist  and  the  Evangelists  are  angels,  also, 
inasmuch  as  they  were  God's  messengers,  and  they  are  sometimes 
represented  with  wings.^  A  glory  of  angels  is  a  representation  in 
which  the  Trinity,  Christ,  or  the  Virgin  is  surrounded  by  circles  of 
angels,  representing  the  different  choirs.  The  interior  circles,  the 
Seraphim  and  Cherubim,  are  symbolized  by  heads  with  two,  four, 
or  six  wings,  and  are  usually  of  a  bright  red  or  blue  color.  Properly 
the  Seraph,  whose  name  signifies  "  to  love,"  should  be  red ;  and  the 
Cherub,  whose  name  signifies  "  to  know,"  should  be  blue.  Angels 
should  always  be  young,  beautiful,  perfect,  but  so  represented  as  to 
seem  immortal  rather  than  eternal,  since  they  are  created  beings. 
In  early  art  they  were  always  draped  ;  and  although  all  colors  are 
employed  in  the  drapery,  white  should  be  the  prevailing  one.     Wings 

1  See  the  Angels,  or  Bishops,  of  the  Seven  Churches,  in  the  Apocalypse,  or 
Revelations,  of  St.  John. 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  17 

are  seldom  wanting,  and  the  representation  of  them  as  the  attribute 
of  celestial  beings  did  not  originate  in  Christian  art.  This  symbol 
of  might,  majesty,  and  divine  beauty  is  found  in  the  remains  of 
Egypt,  Babylon,  and  Nineveh,  as  well  as  in  Etruscan  art. 

VIII.    SYMBOLS  OF  THE  VIRGIN. 

Among  the  symbols  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the  titles  by  which 
she  is  known,  and  from  which  certain  pictures  and  effigies  are  named, 
are  by  no  means  the  least  interesting,  showing  as  they  do  the  esti- 
mation in  which  she  is  held,  and  the  tenderness,  as  well  as  sacred- 
ness,  of  the  love  she  engenders  in  the  hearts  of  her  faithful  clients. 
As  the  protector  of  the  afflicted  she  is  represented  with  her  robe  so 
spread  out  as  to  cover  the  votaries  who  pray  for  her  gracious  aid. 
In  this  character  she  has  several  titles,  such  as  — 

Santa  Maria  di  Misericordia,  Our  Lady  of  Mercy;  and  by  this 
title,  Nuestra  Seiiora  de  la  Merced,  she  is  known  as  the  patroness 
of  the  Spanish  Order  of  Mercy.  When  painted  for  their  institutions, 
she  frequently  holds  a  badge  of  the  order  on  a  tablet. 

Santa  Maria  del  buon  Consilio,  Our  Lady  of  Good  Counsel. 

S.  M.  della  Grazia,  Our  Lady  of  Grace. 

S.  M.  Auxiliuni  Afflictorum,  Help  of  the  Afflicted. 

S.  M.  del  Pianto,  del  Dolore,  Our  Lady  of  Lamentation,  or  Sorrow. 

S.  M.  del  Soccorro,  Our  Lady  of  Succor,  or  of  the  Forsaken. 

S.  M.  de  buon  Cuore,  Our  Lady  of  Good  Heart. 

S.  M.  Consolatrice,  della  Consolazione,  or  del  Conforto,  Our  Lady 
of  Consolation. 

S.  M.  Refugium  Peccatorum,  Refuge  of  Sinners. 

S.  M.  della  Speranza,  Our  Lady  of  Hope. 

She  is  invoked  by  women  in  travail  as  — 

S.  M.  del  Parte,  Our  Lady  of  Good  Delivery. 

Again,  by  the  people,  as  — 

S.  M.  della  Pace,  Our  Lady  of  Peace. 

S.  M.  del  Popolo,  Our  Lady  of  the  People. 

S.  M.  della  Vittoria,  Our  Lady  of  Victory. 

By  students  she  is  invoked  as  — 

S.  M.  della  Sapienza,  Our  Lady  of  Wisdom. 

S.  M.  della  Perseveranza,  Our  Lady  of  Perseverance. 

2 


18  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

When  painted  for  colleges  and  institutions  of  learning,  she  fre- 
quently holds  a  book. 

By  prisoners  she  is  called, — 

S.  M.  della  Liberta,  or  Liberatrice,  Our  Lady  of  Liberty. 

S.  ^L  della  Catena,  Our  Lady  of  Fetters. 

There  are  also  many  titles  derived  from  the  circumstances  of  her 
life,  or  from  certain  accessories  of  the  representation,  as  — 

S.  M.  della  Cintola,  Our  Lady  of  the  Girdle,  when  she  gives  her 
girdle  to  St.  Thomas. 

S.  M.  del  Libro,  when  she  holds  the  book  of  AVisdom. 

S.  M.  del  Presepio,  Our  Lady  of  the  Cradle,  when  in  a  Xativity. 

S.  M.  della  Lettera,  the  Madonna  of  the  Letter,  which  illustrates 
the  legend  that  she  wrote  a  letter,  a.  d.  42,  from  Jerusalem  to  the 
people  of  Messina.     This  is  her  title  as  protectress  of  that  city. 

S.  M.  della  Scodella,  when  with  a  cup  she  dips  water  from  a 
fountain. 

S.  M.  della  Rosa,  Our  Lady  of  the  Rose,  when  she  holds  a  rose. 

S.  M.  della  Spina.  This  is  her  title  as  protectress  of  Pisa,  when 
she  holds  the  crown  of  thorns. 

S.  M.  de  Belera,  Our  Lady  of  Bethlehem.  "With  this  title  she  is 
the  patroness  of  the  Jeronymites. 

S.  M.  di  Loretto,  Our  Lady  of  Loretto.  See  legend  of  the  Santa 
Casa. 

S.  M.  del  Pillar.  This  is  her  title  as  protectress  of  Saragossa. 
According  to  the  tradition,  she  descended  from  heaven,  standing  on 
a  marble  pillar,  and  appeared  to  St.  James  when  he  was  preaching 
in  Spain.  This  legend  is  often  seen  in  Spanish  pictures,  and  the 
pilhir  is  preserved  in  the  cathedral  of  Saragossa. 

S.  M.  del  Carmine,  Our  Lady  of  Mount  Carmel,  under  which  title 
she  is  the  protectress  of  the  Carmelites. 

S.  M.  della  Neve,  Our  Lady  of  the  Snow.  See  legend  of  Santa 
Maria  Magt^iore. 

S.  M.  del  Rosario,  Our  Lady  of  the  Rosary.     See  the  Rosary. 

S.  M.  della  Stella,  Our  Lady  of  the  Star,  when  the  star  is  embroi- 
dered on  her  mantle  as  an  attribute. 

S.  M.  del  Fiore,  Our  Lady  of  the  Flower.  This  is  her  title  as 
protectress  of  Florence. 

Certain  prophets  are  sometimes  represented  as  attending  on  Mary 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  19 

and  the  infant  Jesus.  They  are  those  who  have  referred  especially  to 
the  Incarnation.     They  are  :  — 

Moses,  because  he  beheld  the  burning  bush. 

Aaron,  whose  rod  blossomed  miraculously. 

Gideon,  whose  fleece  was  wet  with  dew  when  it  was  dry  all  around. 

Daniel  (Dan.  ii.  45). 

David,  both  prophet  and  ancestor. 

Isaiah,  who  prophesied  that  a  virgin  should  conceive  and  bear  a  son. 

Ezekiel  (Ezek.  xliv.  2). 

Frequently  the  figures  of  these  prophets  are  omitted,  and  symbols 
of  them  introduced,  as  the  burning  bush  for  Moses,  the  dewy  fleece 
for  Gideon,  the  rod  for  Aaron,  etc. 

Certain  women,  too,  are  regarded  as  types  of  Mary,  and  are  often 
seated  at  her  feet,  or  otherwise  represented  near  her,  as  — 

Judith  and  Esther,  who  were  emblems  of  the  Virgin,  in  having 
brought  deliverance  to  Israel. 

Euth,  because  she  was  the  ancestress  of  David. 

Bathsheba,  because  she  sat  on  the  right  hand  of  her  son. 

Abishag,  who  was  "  the  virgin  who  was  brought  to  the  king." 

There  are  certain  general  symbols  which  are  also  given  to  Mary, 
with  peculiar  significations. 

The  Apple,  when  in  the  hand  of  the  infant  Saviour,  signifies  the 
sin  in  Paradise,  which  made  his  coming  necessary ;  but  in  the  hand 
of  the  Virgin,  it  designates  her  as  the  second  Eve. 

The  Seepent,  the  general  emblem  of  Satan  and  sin,  has  a  pecu- 
liar meaning  when  placed  beneath  the  feet  of  the  Virgin,  and  is  illus- 
trative of  the  prophecy,  Ipsa  conteret  caput  tuum  ("  She  shall  bruise 
thy  head  "). 

The  Globe,  beneath  the  Virgin  and  entwined  by  a  serpent,  is  the 
symbol  of  her  triumph  over  a  world  fallen  through  sin. 

The  Pomegranate,  the  emblem  of  hope,  is  frequently  given  to 
the  Virgin  by  the  child  Jesus. 

Birds,  in  ancient  pictures,  figured  the  soul,  or  the  spiritual, 
as  the  opposite  of  the  material.  Thus  the  dove  is  the  Holy  Spirit 
hovering  above  her;  while  the  seven  doves,  which  typify  the  gifts 
of  the  Spirit,  when  surrounding  the  Virgin,  make  her  the  Mater  Sa- 
pientiae,  or  the  Mother  of  Wisdom.  When  doves  are  near  her  while 
she  reads  or  works,  they  express  her  gentleness  and  tenderness. 


20 


SYMBOLISM  IX  ART. 


The  Book  in  the  hand  of  Mary,  if  open,  represents  the  book  of 
Wisdom  ;  if  closed  or  sealed,  it  is  a  mystical  symbol  of  the  Virgin, 
which  will  be  further  explained. 

Flowers  were  consecrated  to  the  Virgin;  and  Fruits  signify  "the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit, — jo}^  peace,  and  love." 

Lastly,  there  are  many  symbols  of  the  Virgin,  derived  from  the  Can- 
ticles and  the  Litanies  of  the  Virgin,  and  which  belong  especially  to  her  : 
The  Lily.     "  I  am  the  rose  of  Sharon,  and  the  lily  of  the  valley  " 
(Cant.  ii.  12). 

The  Rose  is  one  emblem  of  love  and  beauty,  and  especially  dedi- 
cated to  Mary.     A  plantation  or  garden  of  roses  is  often  represented. 
The  Enclosed  Garden  (Cant.  iv.  12). 

The  Star  is  often  embroidered  on  her  veil  or  mantle.  When  she 
has  a  crown  of  twelve  stars  it  is  illustrative  of  the  description  in 

the  Revelation.  She  is  also  called  Stella 
Maris,  the  Star  of  the  Sea  ;  Stella  Jacobi, 
the  Star  of  Jacob;  Stella  non  Erratica, 
the  Fixed  Star ;  and  Stella  Matutina,  the 
Morning  Star. 

The  Sun  and  Moon  refer  to  her  as 
the  woman  of  the  Apocalypse  :  "A 
woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  having  the 
moon  under  her  feet,  and  on  her  head 
a  crown  of  twelve  stars." 

The  Stem  of  Jesse  is  represented  as  a 
green  branch  twined  with  flowers  (Isa. 
xi.  1). 

The  Porta  Clausa,  or  Closed  Gate 
(Ezek.  xliv.  4). 

The  Well,  Fountain,  City  of  Da- 
vid, Temple  of  Solomon,  and  Tower 
OF  David  are  all  symbols  borrowed 
from  the  Canticles. 

The   Olive,  the   Cypress,  and   the 
Palm  are  all  emblems  of  the  Virgin.    The 
first    signifies    peace,    hope,    and    abun- 
dance ;  the  second  points  to  heaven,  and 
Tetramorph.  the  third  speaks  of  victory. 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 


21 


The  Cedar  of  Lebanon,  by  its  height,  its  perfume,  its  heahng 
quahties,  and  its  incorruptible  substance,  symbohzes  the  greatness, 
goodness,  and  beauty  of  the  Virgin. 

The  Sealed  Book,  in  the  hands  of  the  Virgin,  alludes  to  the  text, 
"  In  that  book  were  all  my  members  written,"  and  also  to  the  sealed 
book  described  by  Isaiah  (xxix.  11,  12). 

The  Mirror  is  borrowed  as  an  emblem  from  the  book  of  Wis- 
dom (vii.  25)  :  Specula  sine  maculd. 

The  explanation  of  the  seven  joys  and  the  seven  sorrows  of  the 
Virgin,  as  well  as  that  of  the  mysteries  of  the  Rosary,  will  be  found, 
by  reference  to  them  in  their  alphabetical  order,  in  the  next  division 
of  this  book. 


IX.    SYMBOLS  OF  THE  EVANGELISTS. 

"When  the  Evangelists  are  represented  together,  it  is  in  their  char- 
acter of  witnesses,  upon  whose  testimony  the  truth  of  Christianity 
rests ;  when  they  are  single,  they  are  usually  presented  as  teachers  or 
patrons.  The  earliest  sym- 
bol of  the  Evangelists  was 
a  Greek  cross,  with  a  scroll 
or  book  in  each  angle,  — 
emblems  of  the  writers  of 
the  four  Gospels.  The  sec- 
ond symbol  was  that  of  the 
four  rivers  which  rise   in 

T)        J-  c  i.-  -i-u^  (Mosaic.)    St.  Mark. 

Paradise.      Sometimes  the 

Saviour  with  a  lamb,  or  the  symbolic  Agnus  Dei,  was  represented  on 
an  eminence,   with  the  four  streams,  symbolizing  the  Evangelists, 

flowing  from  beneath  him.  Their  next 
symbol  was  the  four  fiery  creatures  of 
Ezekiel's  vision  (Ezek.  i.  5).  These 
were  interpreted  by  the  Jews,  as  rep- 
resenting the  archangels ;  also  the 
prophets  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel, 
and  Daniel ;  but  the  early  Christians 
explained    them    as   emblems   of   the 

St.  Mark.  Tr«  t   . 

Evangelists. 
The  four  "  beasts  "  of  the  Apocalypse  received  the  same  explana- 


22 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 


tion,  and  in  the  seventh  century  they  had  become  the  distinctive 
symbols  of  these  inspired  witnesses. 

St.  Jerome  explains  the  indivi- 
,v^  ,.,       ,, ,        dual   application  of  these  symbols 

^   ,    /^^^J<^^       thus:- 

1.  The  Cherub,  which  most  re- 
sembles a  human  being,  was  given 
to  St.  Matthew,  because  he  speaks 

jv         v^_,..-^  more   of  the   human    than    of  the 

l^  -^J^  divine  nature  of  our  Saviour. 

2.  The  Lion  symbolizes  St.  Mark, 

(Mosaic,  5th  century.)    St.  Lute.  ^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^^^^  .  _ 

a.  He  commences  his  epistle  with  the  mission  of  St.  John  the 
Baptist,  ''The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness." 

b.  The  king  of  beasts 
is  a  type  of  the  royal  dig- 
nity of  Christ,  which  St. 
Mark  makes  so  apparent. 

c.  According  to  an 
Oriental  tradition,  the 
young  lions  are  born  dead, 
and  after  three  days  are 
made  alive  by  the  breath 
or  the  roar  of  the  sire ; 
thus  they  are  an  emblem  of  the  Resurrection,  of  which  St.  Mark  is 
called  the  historian. 

3.    The  Ox  was  given  to  St.  Luke  because  he  especially  sets  forth 

the   priesthood  of  Christ,   and   the  ox    is 
symbolical  of  sacrifice. 

4.  The  Eagle  was  given  to  St.  John 
as  an  emblem  of  the  lofty  flights  of  his 
inspiration. 

Others  regarded  these  ** beasts"  as  shad- 
owing forth  the  Incarnation,  Passion,  Resur- 
rection, and  Ascension  of  Jesus  ;  and  they 
arc  also  believed  to  represent  the  fourfold 
character   of  Christ   as   man,   king,    high- 

(Mosaic,  A.  D.  750.)    St.  Luke.  ,    ^     ,  »  o'         o 

priest,  and  God. 
These  symbolic  creatures  were  always  represented  as  winged.    The 


(Jlosaic,  11th  Century.)    St.  John. 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 


23 


union  of  all  four  "beasts"  forms  that  mysterious  emblem  called  the 
Tetramorph.  In  another  symbol  a  woman  represents  the  new  Law, 
or  the  Church.  She  is  crowned  and  seated  on  a  creature  who  has 
the  four  heads  of  these  symbolic  beasts,  the  body  of  a  horse,  and 
four  feet,  embracing  one  of  each  of  the  four  creatures.  Again  the 
Church  is  in  a  triumphal  chariot,  driven  by  a  cherub  or  angel, 
and  drawn  by  the  lion,  ox,  and  eagle.  The  next  advance  was  the 
combination  of  the  human  form  with  the  heads  of  these  mystic  beasts. 
Eigr.res  formed  in  this  way  were  sometimes  represented  alternately 
with  the  figures  of  the  prophets,  all  forming  a  circle.  These  ideas 
seem  to  have  been  borrowed  from  the  winged  bulls,  with  human 
heads,  found  at  Nineveh. 

At  length  the  only  symbol  retained  in  the  representations  of  the 
Evangelists  was  the  wings.  These  were  attached  to  the  human  form ; 
they  bear  their  books,  and  the 
symbolic  creatures  were  repre- 
sented near  them  or  at  their  feet. 
The  Evangelists  were  often 
represented  together,  with  four 
prophets,  thus  symbolizing  the 
old  and  new  law ;  or  with  four 
doctors  of  the  Church,  as  wit- 
nesses to,  and  interpreters  of 
the  truth. 

In  later  art,  the  Evange- 
lists appear  without  emblems 
or  attributes ;  sometimes  with 
their  names  inscribed  above  or 
beneath  their  representations. 
In  speaking  of  the  different 
stages  of  this  symbolism,  Mrs. 
Jameson  says  :  "  It  will  be  in- 
teresting to  pause  for  a  moment  and  take  a  rapid,  retrospective 
view  of  the  progress,  from  first  to  last,  in  the  expression  of  an  idea 
through  form.  First,  we  have  the  mere  fact,  —  the  four  scrolls,  or 
the  four  books.  Next,  the  idea,  —  the  four  rivers  of  salvation,  flowing 
from  on  high  to  fertilize  the  whole  earth.  Thirdly,  the  prophetic 
symbol,  —  the  winged  cherub  of  fourfold  aspect.     Next,  the  Christian 


(Fra  Angelico.) 


-2Sk_ 


(Fra  Angelico.) 


2-i 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 


symbol,  —  the  four  beasts  in  the  Apocalypse,  with  or  without  the 
ant'el-win^s.  Then  the  combination  of  the  emblematical  animal  with 
the  human  form.  Then  the  human  personages,  each  of  venerable 
or  inspired  aspect,  as  becomes  the  teacher  and  witness ;  and  each 
attended  by  the  Scriptural  emblem,  —  no  longer  an  emblem,  but  an 
ji  attribute  marking  his  individual  vocation  and  character.  And  lastly, 
■  the  emblem  and  attribute  both  discarded,  we  have  the  human  being 
only,  holding  his  gospel,  —  that  is,  his  version  of  the  doctrine  of 
Christ."  1 

X.     SYMBOLS  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 

The    earliest    purely    symbolic    representation   of    the    Twelve 
Apostles  was   that    of  twelve   sheep  surrounding  Christ,  the  good 
ffL-  M    vK^    ^     ^      Shepherd,  while  he  bore  a  lamb  in  his  arms; 
^  or  again,  Jesus,  as  the  Lamb  of  God,  is  on  an 

eminence,  from  which  flow  the  four  rivers  of 
Paradise,  while  on  one  side  six  sheep  leave 
Jerusalem,  and  on  the  other  side  the  same 
number  leave  Bethlehem.  They  were  very 
rarely  represented  by  doves.  The  next  ad- 
vance was  to  represent  them  as  men,  and  all 
bearing  sheep ;  or  in 
place  of  sheep,  scrolls, 
and  distinguished  from 
each  other  by  the  in- 
scription of  their  names 
above  them. 

According  to   tradi- 
tion, the  Apostles,  be- 
fore   separating,     com- 
posed     the      Apostles' 
Creed,  of    which    each 
one   furnished     a     sen- 
tence or  article.    These 
are  inscribed  on  their  scrolls  as  follows  :  St.  Peter,  —  Credo  in  Deum 
Patrem  omnipotentem,  creatorem  coeli  et  terrse  ;  St.  Andrew,  —  Et  in 
Jesum  Christum  Filium  ejus  unicum,  Dominum  nostrum;  St.  James 

*  Sacred  and  Legendary  Art. 


St.  John. 


(Ilans  Bcham.) 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 


25 


Major,  —  Qui  conceptus  est  de  Spiritu  Sancto,  natiis  ex  Maria  Vir- 
gine ;  St.  John,  —  Passus  sub  Pontio  Pilato,  crucifixus,  mortims  et 
sepultus;  St.  Philip,  —  Descendit  ad  inferos,  tertia  die  resurrexit 
a  mortuis ;  St.  James  Minor,  —  Ascendit  ad  ccelos,  sedet  ad  dexteram 
Dei  Patris  omnipotentis ;  St.  Thomas,  —  Inde  venturus  est  judicare 
vivc3  et  mortuos ;  St.  Bartholomew,  —  Credo  in  Spiritum  Sanctum  ; 
St.  Matthew,  —  Sanctam  Ecclesiam  Catholicam,  sanctorum  commu- 
nionem  ;  St.  Simon,  —  Remissionem  peccatorum  ;  St.  Matthias,  — 
Carnis  resurrectionem  ;  St.  Thaddeus,  —  Et  vitam  aeternam.  From 
the  sixth  century  every  one  of  the  Apostles  had  his  especial  attribute, 
■which  was  taken  from  some  circumstance  of  his  life  or  death,  and 
which  will  be  found  in  their  respective  legends.  These  attributes  are 
as  follow  :  — 

St.  Peter,  the  keys  or  a  fish. 

St.  Andrew,  the  transverse  cross  which  bears  his  name. 

St.  James  Major,  the  pilgrim's  staff. 

St.  John  :  the  chalice  with  the  serpent  is  the  proper  attribute  of 
this  Apostle  ;  but  the  eagle,  which  is  his  attribute  as  an  Evangelist, 
is  sometimes  seen  when  he  is  with  the  Apostles. 

St.  Thomas,  generally,  a  builder's  rule ;  rarely, 
a  spear. 

St.  James  Minor,  a  club. 

St.  Philip,  a  small  cross  on  a  staff  or  crosier, 
surmounted  by  a  cross. 

St.  Bartholomew,  a  knife. 

St.  Matthew,  a  purse. 

St.  Simon,  a  saw. 

St.  Thaddeus,  a  halberd  or  lance. 

St.  Matthias,  a  lance. 

Sometimes  St.  Paul,  St.  Mark,  and  St.  Luke 
are  represented  with  the  Apostles,  and  some  others 
are  left  out,  as  the  number  is  always  twelve.  In 
such  cases,  St.  Paul  bears  either  one  or  two  swords. 

The  Apostles  have  also  been  represented  seated 
on  clouds,  surrounding  the   Saviour,    as   they  are 
supposed  to  be  in  heaven.     Later  art  has  not  only  distinguished  each 
of  the  Apostles  by  his  own  attribute,   it  has  also  attempted  to  rep- 
resent the  character  of  each  in  the  face  and  bearing ;  and  the  illus' 


(FraAngelico.) 


26  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

tration  of  the  legends  which  develop  the  characteristics  drawn  from 
the  Scripture  history  enables  the  artist  to  accomplish  this  object, 
sometimes  with  wonderful  eflfect. 


XI.     SYMBOLS  OF   THE  MONASTIC  ORDERS. 

To  a  student  or  lover  of  art  there  is  a  world  of  interest  connected 
with  the  monastic  orders,  with  their  founders,  their  artists,  their 
pictures.  While  they  instituted  schools,  built  cathedrals,  and  founded 
Hospitals,  they  were  the  most  munificent  patrons  of  art  the  world 
has  ever  seen.  To  them  we  are  indebted  for  many  of  the  rarest 
gems  of  painting.  Intended  for  the  seclusion  of  church  and  cloister, 
they  novj  belong  to  all  the  world;  for  who  that  has  gazed  on  the 
Madonna  di  San  Sisto,  on  the  spirit-moving  pictures  of  Angelico 
the  Blessed,  and  many,  many  others,  does  not  feel  that  he  has  a 
possession  in  them  ;  that  they  have  imparted  something  to  him  that 
was  /a'5, — something  intended  for  him,  and  held  in  trust  until  he 
came  to  claim  his  own  ]  There  are  certain  peculiarities  in  what  may 
be  called  monastic  pictures,  which  were  most  fitting  when  these  were 
in  their  proper  places,  but  which  seem  incongruous  when  these  pic- 
tures appear  in  tlie  galleries  of  art  or  on  the  walls  of  palaces.  I 
refer  especially  to  the  representation  of  the  personages,  and  the 
peculiar  habits  and  symbols  of  the  different  orders  for  which  the  pic- 
tures were  painted.  For  instance,  in  pictures  of  the  Annunciation, 
and  other  scenes  from  the  life  of  the  Virgin  or  the  Saviour,  we  see 
the  founders  of  orders  and  institutions  in  their  distinctive  dress  ;  and 
until  we  consider  that  the  pictures  were  painted  for  these  orders, 
and  in  honor  of  these  very  founders  and  saints,  we  wonder  at,  and  are 
disturbed  by  the  seeming  inappropriateness  of  the  representations. 

That  these  things  are  so,  makes  it  a  necessity  that  some  attention 
should  be  given  to  these  symbols  and  habits.  A  knowledge  of  them 
enables  one  to  decide  for  what  order  a  picture  was  intended,  and 
explains  much  of  its  import  and  purpose. 

Tliere  are  certain  general  symbols  which  have  a  peculiar  signifi- 
cance in  monastic  pictures  :  — 

The  Nimbus  is  given  only  to  a  canonized  saint,  never  to  a  heato  ; 
sometimes  the  picture  is  painted  before  canonization,  and  the  nimbus 
added  afterwards. 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART,  27 

The  Infant  Christ  is  often  placed  in  the  arms  of  a  saint ;  or,  in 
some  pictures  of  the  Virgin,  she  bends  down  and  places  the  child  in 
the  arms  of  holy  men  and  women.  These  are  generally  repre&eiita 
tions  of  visions  which  these  saints  have  had,  or  have  arisen  from 
legends  like  that  of  St.  Anthony  of  Padua,  which  relates  that  the 
Saviour  came  in  this  form,  and  stood  on  his  book  while  he  preached 
the  Gospel. 

The  Standard,  surmounted  by  the  cross,  belongs  especially  to 
such  as  were  missionaries  and  apostles,  and  carried  the  Gospel  to 
heathen  nations.  It  is  also  an  attribute  of  the  warrior  saints  con- 
nected with  the  monastic  orders. 

The  Crown  at  the  feet  of  saints  indicates  that  they  were  of  royal 
birth,  or  resigned  their  kingdoms  for  the  monastery.  If  they  re- 
tained their  rank  until  death,  they  wear  the  crown ;  and  female 
saints  of  royal  blood  frequently  wear  the  diadem  outside  the  veil. 

A  Seraph  distinguishes  the  saints  of  the  Seraphic  Order. ^ 

The  Stigmata,  or  Similitude  of  the  Wounds  of  Christ,  belong 
properly  to  St.  Catherine  of  Siena  and  St.  Francis  alone,  but  are 
sometimes  given  to  St.  Maria  Maddalena  de'  Pazzi. 

The  Book  in  the  hand  has  the  general  signification  of  the  Gospel ; 
but  accompanied  by  the  pen  or  ink-horn,  it  indicates  that  the  saint 
was  an  author,  and  the  book  is  sometimes  lettered  with  the  proper 
titles  of  his  works.  The  open  book  in  the  hand  of  a  founder  is  the 
symbol  of  the  rule  of  his  order,  and  is  often  inscribed  with  the  first 
sentence  of  the  rule. 

The  Crucifix  in  the  hand  signifies  a  preacher;  it  is  also  an 
emblem  of  penance  and  faith. 

The  Flaming  Heart  is  an  emblem  of  divine  love.  It  is  given 
to  St.  Augustine.  The  heart  crowned  with  thorns  belongs  to  St. 
Francis  de  Sales.  The  heart  inscribed  with  I.  H.  S.  is  given  to 
Jesuit  saints,  to  St.  Teresa,  St.  Bridget  of  Sweden,  and  St.  Maria 
Maddalena  de'  Pazzi. 

The  Crown  of  Thorns  on  the  head  or  in  the  hands  is  the 
symbol  of  suffering  for  Christ's  sake. 

The  Palm  is  not  a  general  symbol  for  the  monastic  saints,  but  is 
given  to  St.  Placidus,  St.  Boniface,  and  St.  Thomas  a  Becket,  of  the 

1  The  Order  of  St.  Francis. 


28  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

Benedictines ;  to  St.  Angelas  and  St.  Albert,  of  the  Carmelites,  and 
to  St.  Peter  Martyr,  of  the  Dominicans,  and  but  few  others. 

The  Scourge  is  the  symbol  of  self-inflicted  penance. 

Walking  on  the  Sea  represents  a  miracle  attributed  to  the  saint 
who  is  so  painted. 

The  Cardinal's  Hat  is  given  to  St.  Bonaventure.  He  is  dis- 
tinguished from  St.  Jerome  by  the  Franciscan  girdle. 

The  Mitre  and  Pastoral  Staff  belong  to  abbots  and  bishops. 
The  staff  without  the  mitre  is  proper  only  to  abbesses. 

Slaves  with  Broken  Chains,  as  well  as  beggars,  children,  and 
lepers  at  the  feet  of  a  saint,  signify  beneficence. 

Posp:s  are  significant  of  the  name  of  the  saint,  or  are  connected 
with  some  circumstance  in  their  lives,  as  with  St.  Elizabeth  of 
Hungary,  and  St.  Dorothea. 

The  Lily  is  an  emblem  of  purity  and  chastity,  and  of  very  general 
use;  but  it  belongs  especially  to  St.  Clara,  St.  Anthony  of  Padua, 
St.  Catherine  of  Siena,  as  well  as  to  those  who  made  vows  of  celi- 
bacy, like  St.  Casimir  and  others.  The  crucifix  twined  with  lilies 
belongs  to  St.  Nicholas  of  Tolentino.  The  lily  also  belongs  to  such 
as  devoted  themselves  especially  to  the  Blessed  Virgin. 

The  Star  over  the  head  or  breast  expresses  the  divine  attesta- 
tion to  the  sanctity  of  the  saint. 

The  Sun  on  the  breast  is  the  symbol  of  the  light  of  wisdom. 

The  Dove  is  the  emblem  of  the  direct  inspiration  of  the  Holy- 
Ghost. 

The  Fish,  as  the  emblem  of  baptism,  belongs  to  some  early- 
missionaries  and  to  such  as  converted  the  heathen. 

The  Lamb  is  proper  to  St.  Francis  as  the  symbol  of  meekness. 

Wild  Beasts  at  the  feet  of  a  saint  signify  that  he  cleared  a 
wilderness  or  founded  a  convent  in  a  solitude. 

The  Hind  or  Stag  is  the  emblem  of  solitude. 

The  Dragon  at  the  feet  is  sin  conquered ;  but  chained  to  a  rock 
or  led  by  a  chain,  it  is  heresy  vanquished. 

Tiie  habits  and  special  symbols  of  dificrcnt  orders  are  important. 
First,  the  Benedictines,  with  St.  Benedict  as  their  general  patriarch, 
embrace,  — 

The  Camaldolesi,  founded  by  St.  Romualdo ; 

The  Vallombrosians,  founded  by  St.  John  Gualberto; 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  29 

The  Carthusians,  founded  by  St.  Bruno  ; 
The  Cistercians,  founded  by  St.  Bernard  of  Clairvaux ; 
The  Olivetani,  founded  by  St.  Bernardo  Ptolomei ; 
The  Cluniacs,  founded  by  St.  Peter  of  Clugny ; 
and  some  other  less  important  branches  which  are  governed  by  the 
Rule  of  St.  Benedict. 

The  color  of  the  habit  is  not  especially  determined  in  the  Bene- 
dictine Rule.  In  the  early  pictures  of  St.  Benedict  he  wears  black ; 
but  in  some  pictures  painted  for  the  reformed  Benedictines,  he  is  in 
a  white  habit.  The  black  habit  is  given  to  St.  Scholastica  and  the 
pupils  of  St.  Benedict,  St.  Maurus,  and  St.  Placidus,  and  to  St. 
Flavia;  also  to  St.  Boniface,  the  Apostle  of  Germany;  St.  Bennett, 
Bishop  of  Durham ;  St.  Benedict  of  Anian ;  St.  Dunstan  of  Canter- 
bury ;  St.  Walpurgis  of  Eichstadt ;  St.  Giles  of  Languedoc ;  St.  Ilde- 
fonso  of  Toledo  ;  St.  Bavon  of  Ghent ;  and  to  nearly  all  Benedictines 
who  lived  before  the  year  1020. 

The  Camaldolesi  and  their  founder  wear  white. 

The  Vallombrosians,  gray  or  ash  color. 

The  Cluniacs,  black. 

The  Cistercians,  white.  Their  habit  is  long  and  loose,  with  very 
wide  sleeves. 

The  Carthusians,  white. 

The  Olivetani,  white. 

These  orders  furnished  the  earliest  artists  and  architects  of  Europe. 
The  monastery  of  Monte  Cassino  was  founded  by  St.  Benedict.  Its 
church  and  cloisters  contain  many  works  of  art,  and  among  them 
the  statues  in  marble  of  the  most  noted  members  and  benefactors 
of  the  community.  The  cave  at  Subiaco,  the  Sacro  Speco,  is  of  great 
interest,  and  painted  with  very  ancient  frescos.  They  were  done 
in  1219,  and  are  important  in  the  history  of  art.  Among  the  finest 
edifices  of  the  Benedictines  may  be  mentioned  the  Basilica  of  San 
Paolo  (fuori-le-mura)  at  Rome,  San  Severino  at  Naples,  San  Giustina 
at  Padua,  the  monastery  of  Bamberg  in  Germany,  St.  Maur,  Mar- 
moutier,  and  Fontevrauld  in  France.  For  their  convent  at  Piacenza, 
the  Madonna  di  San  Sisto  was  painted ;  for  that  at  Grotta  Ferrata, 
the  life  of  St.  Nilus  by  Domenichino  ;  at  San  Severino,  the  life  of 
St.  Benedict  by  Antonio  lo  Zingaro.  For  the  Vallombrosians, 
Perugino   painted   the   Assumption.      Taddeo   Gaddi  painted  many 


30  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

pictures  for  the  Camaldolesi ;  and  for  different  Benedictine  orders, 
Ghirlandajo  and  Andrea  del  Sarto  painted  some  of  their  finest 
pictures.  The  Certosa  di  Pavia  is  unequalled  in  many  points,  and 
has  works  of  Luini,  Borgognone,  and  many  other  famous  masters. 
This  is  a  Carthusian  monastery,  as  is  also  the  Certosa  at  Rome, 
built  by  Michael  Angelo.  Zurbaran  and  Carducho  painted  for  the 
Spanish  Carthusians,  and  Le  Sueur  the  life  of  St.  Bruno  for  those 
at  Paris. 

The  Cistercians  have  many  pictures  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  as 
they  especially  honor  her  and  dedicate  their  churches  under  her 
patronage. 

The  beautiful  church  of  San  Lorenzo  in  Cremona,  and  that  of 
Santa  Maria  in  Organo  at  Verona,  belong  to  the  Olivetani,  whose 
artists  excelled  in  Tarsia  or  Intarsiatura,  a  beautiful  style  of  in- 
laid work.  In  England  many  of  the  finest  cathedrals  were  Bene- 
dictine foundations,  and  the  word  "  abbey  "  belongs  especially  to 
this  order. 

The  Augustines. 

These  orders  reverence  St.  Augustine  of  Hippo  as  their  general 
patriarch  and  founder.     They  embrace,  — 

The  Servi,  founded  by  St.  Philip  Benizi ; 

The  Order  of  Mercy,  founded  by  St.  Peter  Nolasco ; 

The  Brigittines,  founded  by  St.  Bridget  of  Sweden.^ 
The  Augustinians  reverence  St.  Joseph,  the  husband  of  the  Virgin 
Marv',  as  their  patriarch  and  patron  saint.  The  habit  of  the  Augus- 
tinians is  black.  St.  Augustine  and  his  mother,  St.  Monica,  are  the 
principal  personages  in  the  pictures  of  the  order.  St.  Joseph  and  all 
the  events  of  his  life  are  also  favorite  subjects ;  and  the  earliest  mar- 
tyrs and  bishops,  though  common  to  all  orders,  are  especially  honored 
by  the  Augustinians.  The  primitive  hermits,  St.  Anthony  and  St. 
Paul,  also  receive  much  veneration;  but  their  chief  saint  is  Nicholas 
of  Tolentino.  The  most  important  churches  of  the  Agostini  in  Italy 
are  the  Sant'  Agostino  at  Pavia,  which  contains  the  magnificent  shrine 
of  their  founder,  which  has  in  all  two  hundred  and  ninety  figures 
worked  in  marble.     Tiie  principal  events  of  the  life  of  St.  Augustine 

1  Some  otlior  orders  of  nicu  and  women  follow  the  Rule,  or  a  modiGcation 
of  the  Rule,  of  St.  Augustine. 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  31 

are  represented,  and  there  are  also  statues  of  the  Evangelists,  Apostles, 
and  many  saints.  The  Sant'  Agostino  at  Rome  is  tlie  church  for 
which  the  Isaiah  of  Raphael  was  painted.  The  Eremitani  at  Padua 
and  the  San  Lorenzo  of  Florence  are  rich  in  works  of  art.  Tlie  ca- 
thedrals at  Cologne,  Strasbourg,  and  Mayence  belong  to  the  Augus- 
tinians;  and  there  are  many  churches,  dedicated  to  St.  Lawrence, 
St.  Sebastian,  St.  Mary  Magdalene,  and  St.  Antonio  Abbate,  minis- 
tered to  by  priests  of  this  order. 

The  Franciscans. 

With  St.  Francis  at  their  head,  this  order  embraces  — 
The  Capuchins  ; 
The  Observants  ; 
The  Conventuals,  and 
The  Minimes. 

These  monks,  as  well  as  the  Dominicans,  are  called /rati,  or  "broth- 
ers," instead  of padri,  or  "fathers;"  and  the  humility  of  St.  Francis 
caused  him  to  add  the  word  minori,  or  "  lesser,"  to  his  community. 
The  habit  of  the  Franciscans  was  first  gray,  and  remained  so  for  two 
centuries,  when  it  was  changed  to  dark  brown.  It  is  a  plain  tunic 
with  long  full  sleeves,  but  not  as  ample  as  those  of  the  Benedictines. 
This  tunic  is  bound  about  the  waist  with  a  knotted  cord,  which  is 
the  emblem  of  a  beast  subdued ;  and  this  was  the  light  in  which  St. 
Francis  considered  the  body  when  subjected  to  the  spirit.  A  scanty 
cape  hangs  about  the  shoulders,  to  which  is  attached  a  hood  to  be 
drawn  over  the  head  in  cold  weather.  The  nuns  wear  the  same  dress, 
with  a  veil  in  place  of  the  hood.  The  third  order  of  St.  Francis  is 
distinguished  by  the  cord  worn  as  a  girdle.  The  Franciscans  are  bare- 
footed or  with  a  sandal  known  in  Italy  as  the  zoccolo ;  hence  the 
name  Zoccolanti,  by  which  these  friars  are  sometimes  called.  The 
Minimes  are  distinguished  by  a  scapulary  which  hangs  a  little  below 
the  girdle  in  front  and  is  rounded  at  the  ends ;  to  this  is  attached  a 
small  round  hood,  while  that  of  the  Capuchins  is  pointed.  The 
Franciscans  aspired  to  extreme  sanctity,  and  were  greatly  beloved  by 
the  people.  They  have  several  royal  saints ;  but  first  are  their  eight 
principal  saints,  called  /  Cardini  deW  Ordine  Serajico  ("the  chiefs 
of  the  Seraphic  Order"). 


32  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

1.  St.  Francis,  Padre  Serafico,  patriarch  and  founder. 

2.  St.  Clara,  Madre  Serafica,  first  Franciscan  nun  and  foundress 
of  the  Povere  Donne,  or  Poor  Clares. 

3.  St.  Bonaventura,  il  Dottore  Serafico,  the  great  prelate  of  the 
order. 

4.  St.  Antony  of  Padua,  who  is,  next  to  St.  Francis,  the  saint 
most  renowned  in  the  order  for  miracles. 

5.  St.  Bernardino  of  Siena,  their  great  preacher  and  reformer. 

6.  St.  Louis,  King  of  France. 

7.  St.  Louis,  Bishop  of  Toulouse. 

8.  St.  Elizabeth  of  Hungary. 

Then  follow  St.  Margaret  of  Cortona,  St.  Rosa  di  Viterbo,  St.  FclLx 
de  Cantalicio,  and  a  host  of  others. 

The  churches  of  the  Franciscans  have  been  magnificently  adorned. 
The  parent  convent  and  church  at  Assisi  was  three  hundred  years  in 
the  hands  of  the  greatest  artists  of  Italy.  Raphael,  Pinturicchio, 
Giotto,  Taddeo  and  Angelo  Gaddi,  Giottino,  Luca  della  Robbia,  and 
Benedetto  da  Maiano,  all  contributed  to  the  decoration  of  Franciscan 
edifices.  The  St.  Antonio-di-Padova  is  filled  with  art  treasures.  It 
has  bronzes  of  Donatello  and  Andrea  Riccio  ;  pictures  by  many  of 
the  great  painters  of  Upper  Italy,  and  marbles  of  Lombardi,  San- 
sovino,  and  Sammichele.  Murillo  painted  many  of  his  wonderful 
pictures  for  this  order  in  Spain. 

The  Dominicans. 

These  are  called  the  Preaching  Friars,  and  have  St.  Dominick  at 
their  head.  They  wear  a  white  woollen  habit,  fastened  with  a  white 
girdle ;  over  this  a  white  scapular,  which  hangs  to  the  feet  from  the 
neck,  both  before  and  behind,  like  a  long  apron  ;  over  all  a  black 
cloak  with  a  hood.     The  scapular  of  the  lay  brothers  is  black. 

The  Dominicans  always  wear  shoes.  Their  traditions  teach  that 
this  habit  was  adopted  in  accordance  with  the  directions  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin.  The  white  symbolizes  purity  ;  the  black,  mortifica- 
tion and  penance.  Their  four  principal  saints  are  St.  Dominick, 
St.  Peter  Martyr;  St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  the  Angelic  Doctor;  and 
St.  Catherine  of  Siena.  The  Dominicans  have  embraced  some  of  the 
most  splendid  artists  and  patrons  of  art.    The  shrine  of  St.  Dominick 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  33 

is  in  the  church  of  his  order  at  Bologna.  It  is  called,  in  Italy,  the 
Area  di  San  Domenico.  Niccolo  Pisano  built  the  church  and  exe- 
cuted the  shrine,  but  the  church  has  been  rebuilt  in  modern  style. 
At  Rome  the  Santa  Maria-Sopra-Minerva  is  their  most  important 
church  ;  and  here  sleeps  Angelico  da  Fiesole,  "  II  Beato,"  and  Leo  X., 
with  Cardinal  Howard,  Cardinal  Bembo,  and  Durandus.  This  church 
is  filled  with  beautiful  pictures,  and  here  is  Michael  Angelo's  statue 
of  Christ.  At  Florence  the  Dominicans  have  the  Santa  Maria 
Novella;  in  this  church  is  the  Chapel  Dei  Spagnuoli,  painted  by 
Taddeo  Gaddi  and  Simone  Memmi ;  —  the  Strozzi  Chapel,  by  Andrea 
Orcagna ;  and  here  is  the  Madonna  and  Child,  by  Cimabue. 

In  Florence  is  the  convent  of  St.  Mark,  in  which  lived  and  painted 
Fra  Angelico  and  Fra  Bartolomeo.  The  first  of  these  entered  this 
convent  when  twenty  years  old,  and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  long 
life  in  painting  the  spiritual  conceptions  of  his  devout  and  gentle 
mind.  He  believed  that  God  granted  him  his  benediction  on  his 
labors ;  and  so  impressed  was  he  with  the  religious  importance  of 
them,  that  he  is  said  to  have  painted  much  upon  his  bended  knees, 
as  if  performing  an  act  of  devotion.  His  principal  works  are  in  his 
own  convent,  in  the  church  of  Santa  Maria  Novella,  and  in  the 
Chapel  of  Nicholas  V.,  in  the  Vatican.  Fra  Bartolomeo  is  also 
called  Baccio  della  Porta  and  II  Frate. 

At  Siena  the  Dominicans  have  the  Madonna  by  Guido  da  Siena, 
and  the  frescos  of  Razzi.  For  this  order  Leonardo  da  Vinci  painted 
his  Last  Supper,  and  Titian  his  San  Pietro  Martire. 

Their  churches  were  built  without  aisles,  having  a  nave  only,  in 
order  that  the  preaching,  which  was  their  especial  duty,  might  be 
heard  in  every  part ;  this  form  of  edifice  was  very  advantageous  also 
for  the  setting  forth  of  their  pictures. 

The  Carmelites. 

This  order  claims  the  prophet  Elijah  as  its  founder,  and  also  that 
Mt.  Carmel  has  been  inhabited  by  a  direct  succession  of  hermits 
ever  since  the  time  of  that  prophet.  The  members  wear  a  brown 
tunic  with  a  white  mantle,  and  are  also  called  White  Friars.  Their 
most  interesting  church  is  the  Carmini  at  Florence,  in  which  is  the 
Brancacci  Chapel,  which  was  painted  by  Masaccio,  Filippino  Lippi, 
and  Masolino.  As  an  order,  the  Carmelites  are  not  important  in 
art. 


34  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

The  Jeroxymites. 

These  monks  claim  St.  Jerome  as  their  founder,  and  adorn  their 
edifices  largely  with  pictures  of  that  saint,  and  scenes  from  his  life. 
The  Escuriul  and  the  monastery  of  St.  Just,  in  Spain  ;  the  monastery 
of  Belem,  in  Portugal ;  and  that  of  St.  Sigismond,  near  Cremona,  in 
Italy,  — all  belong  to  this  order,  which  is  remarkable  for  the  mag- 
nificence of  its  edifices. 

The  Jesuits. 

The  members  of  this  order  are  not  easily  distinguished  in  art. 
They  wear  the  black  frock  buttoned  to  the  chin,  which  is  so  unfavor- 
able for  a  picture  that  they  are  often  represented  in  the  priestly  vest- 
ments, as  in  the  case  of  St.  Ignatius  Loyola  and  St.  Fiancis  Xavier; 
or  in  cassock  and  surplice,  as  in  the  case  of  St.  Aloysius  and  St. 
Stanislaus  Kostka.  If  tiie  head  is  covered,  it  is  by  a  square  black 
cap.  The  Jesuits  did  not  appear  to  value  art  as  highly  as  many  of 
the  older  orders.  They  lavished  large  sums  of  money  on  tlieir 
churches ;  but  it  was  spent  in  brilliant  decorations  of  gold  and 
silver,  rare  marbles,  and  even  jewels,  rather  than  in  pictures  and 
statues ;  and  yet  the}'^  were  (after  some  royal  personages)  the  chief 
patrons  of  Rubens  and  Van  Dyck,  who  decorated  the  splendid  church 
of  their  order  at  Antwerp. 

XII.    VOTIVE  PICTURES,  ANACHRONISMS,    Etc. 

There  are  larire  numbers  of  what  are  known  as  votive  pictures, 
which  are  painced  in  fulfilment  of  a  vow,  in  gratitude  for  some  signal 
blessing,  or  to  avert  some  anticipated  danger.  Many  commemorate 
a  recovery,  or  escape  from  sickness  or  accident.  The  donor,  and 
sometimes  his  entire  family,  are  seen  in  the  picture,  and  are  fre- 
quently represented  as  grouped  about  the  Madonna  and  Child.  In 
early  art  the  donor  or  votary  was  represented  as  very  dimiiuitive, 
to  express  humility  ;  but  in  later  times  they  appear  of  a  natural  size. 
The  figiu'e  of  a  bishop  kneeling,  while  all  others  stand,  signifies  that 
he  is  the  person  who  presents  the  picture ;  when  he  stands  it  is 
difficult  to  determine  who  ho  may  be,  for  there  are  hundreds  of 
bishop-martyrs  and  patrons  who  are  thus  represented. 

In  many  works  of  art  there  is  an  apparent  anachronism  in  the 
choice  of  the  persons  represented ;  as,  for  instance,  when  the  Virgin 


SYMBOLISM  IN  ART.  35 

is  surrounded  by  those  who  lived  either  centuries  before  or  after  her- 
self It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  sucli  pictures  were  not  intended 
to  represent  physical  facts,  but  are  devotional  in  their  character  and 
meaning.  And  if  the  persons  represented  are  not  living,  they  know 
no  more  of  time ;  for  them  it  no  longer  exists,  and  that  which  at  a 
careless  glance  appears  to  be  the  result  of  ignorance  or  bad  taste  is, 
in  fact,  a  spiritual  conception  of  the  "communion  of  saints,"  who 
belong  no  more  to  earth.  When  thus  considered,  there  appears  no 
incongruity  in  these  representations,  of  which  the  Correggio  at  Parma 
is  a  good  illustration.  In  it  St.  Jerome  presents  his  translation  of 
the  Scriptures  to  the  infiint  Christ,  while  an  angel  turns  the  leaves, 
and  Mary  Magdalene  kisses  the  feet  of  Jesus.  Neither  is  the  group- 
ing in  many  pictures  strictly  in  accordance  with  what  might  be 
termed  propriety.  The  Sibyls  dancing  around  the  cradle  of  Jesus, 
and  the  representations  of  Greek  poets  and  philosophers  in  ecclesi- 
astical art,  are  explained  by  the  fact  that  everything  was  regarded 
in  but  a  single  aspect,  —  that  is,  in  its  relation  to  Christ  and  his 
Church.  All  those  who  preceded  him  foreshadowed  him,  and  prophe- 
sied of  his  coming.  Therefore  these  Greeks  sometimes  bear  scrolls 
inscribed  with  sentences  from  their  writings  which  are  interpreted 
as  relating  to  the  Saviour.  In  the  examination  of  large  numbers  of 
religious  pictures,  chronology  should  be  entirely  forgotten,  for  time 
was  not  thought  of  in  their  arrangement,  and  many  other  consid- 
erations determined  the  artist  in  his  association  of  persons.  Certain 
saints  are  brought  together,  because  they  are  joint  patrons  of  the 
place  for  which  they  were  painted,  as  in  the  Venetian  pictures  of 
St.  Mark,  St.  George,  and  St.  Catherine.  Again,  they  are  con- 
nected by  the  same  attributes,  or  similar  events,  in  their  lives,  as  is 
the  case  with  St.  Roch  and  St.  Sebastian,  —  the  first  having  tended 
the  sick  who  suffered  from  the  plague,  and  the  last  being  a  pro- 
tector against  it.  Or  they  were  friends  on  earth,  as  St.  Cyprian 
and  St.  Cornelius;  or  they  rest  together  in  death,  as  St.  Stephen  and 
St.  Laurence.  Some  of  these,  or  other  like  reasons,  which  were  good 
and  sufficient  to  the  minds  of  artists  and  their  patrons,  always  ex- 
plained the  apparent  inconsistencies  of  these  pictures,  and  were  per- 
fectly understood  in  the  age  to  which  they  belonged.  Again,  some 
saints  are  so  much  more  frequently  represented  than  others  as  to 
occasion  surprise  and  remark.      This  may  be  explained  in  part  by 


36  SYMBOLISM  IN  ART. 

the  fact  that  some  saints  were  universal  patrons  honored  throughout 
Christendom,  while  the  veneration  for  others  was  confined  to  special 
localities  or  to  certain  orders.  St.  Joseph,  St.  George,  St.  Sebastian, 
St.  Christopher,  St.  Cosmo,  St.  Damian,  St.  Roch,  St.  Nicholas, 
St.  Catherine,  St.  Cecilia,  St.  Barbara,  St.  Margaret,  and  St.  Ursula 
are  of  the  former  class. 

In  particular  schools  of  art  this  frequent  representation  of  certain 
personages  is  governed  by  the  locality  in  which  they  were  painted, 
or  that  for  which  they  were  intended.  A  Florentine  artist  would 
introduce  St.  Donato  and  St.  Romulo;  a  Neapolitan,  St.  Januarius; 
a  Frenchman,  St.  Denis,  etc.;  or  as  in  an  existing  picture,  St.  Peter, 
St.  Leonard,  St.  Martha,  and  St.  Mary  Magdalene  are  united  to 
indicate  that  the  society  for  which  it  was  painted  redeemed  prisoners, 
ransomed  slaves,  labored  for  the  poor,  and  converted  the  fallen  and 
sinful. 

Thus  it  is  apparent  that  it  is  for  the  advantage  of  the  careful 
observer  to  consider  that  however  bizarre  a  picture  may  appear, 
there  is  some  reason  for  its  arj-angement,  which,  if  understood  and 
appreciated,  adds  meaning  to  it,  helps  to  discern  its  intention  and 
sentiment,  and  shows  that  what  seems  at  first  to  be  the  result  of 
chance,  or  an  ignorance  of  the  fitness  of  things,  is  in  truth  that  of 
deep  and  earnest  thought,  of  delicate  and  poetic  conceptions,  and 
a  lofty  desire  to  teach  grand  and  holy  truths  as  well  as  to  give 
pleasure  and  delight  the  eye. 


Badge  of  tbo  Order  of  Meroj. 


LEGENDS   AND    STOEIES 


WHICH   HAVE   BEEN   ILLUSTRATED   IN  ART. 


St.  Abbondio  was  born  at  Thessalonica.  He  was  the  fourth 
Bishop  of  Como,  in  the  time  of  Leo  I.  He  is  represented  in  the 
cathedral  of  Como,  and  is  the  apostle  and  patron  saint  of  that  por- 
tion of  Italy. 

Abgarus,  King.  The  apocryphal  gospel  spoken  of  by  Euse- 
bius,  and  called  "  Christ  and  Abgarus,"  begins  with  "  A  Copy  of 
a  Letter  written  by  King  Abgarus  to  Jesus,  and  sent  to  Him  by 
Ananias,  his  Footman,  to  Jerusalem,  inviting  Him  to  Edessa."  This 
letter  opens  with  greetings  to  the  Saviour,  and  goes  on  to  urge  him 
to  go  to  Edessa,  to  cure  the  king  of  a  serious  disease.  It  adds  : 
"  My  city  is  indeed  small,  but  neat,  and  large  enough  for  us  both." 
Jesus  returned  an  answer  that  he  could  not  go,  as  he  must  fulfil  his 
mission  at  Jerusalem,  but  promised  that  after  his  ascension  he  would 
send  a  disciple,  who  would  cure  the  king  and  give  life  to  him  and 
to  all  who  were  with  him.  This  account  ends  here ;  but  up  to  the 
tenth  century  there  were  a  variety  of  additions  made  to  it,  until 
then  it  had  assumed  the  following  form  :  "  Abgarus,  King  of  Edessa, 
suffering  from  the  twofold  infliction  of  gout  and  leprosy,  withdrew 
from  the  sight  of  men.  Ananias,  one  of  his  servants,  returning  from 
a  journey  to  Egypt,  tells  him  of  the  wonderful  cures  by  Christ,  of 
which  he  has  heard  in  Palestine.  In  the  hope  of  obtaining  relief, 
Abgarus  writes  to  Christ,  and  charges  Ananias,  who  was  not  only  a 
good  traveller  but  a  skilful  painter,  that  if  Christ  should  not  be  able 
to  come,  he  should  at  all  events  send  him  his  portrait.     Ananias 


88  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

finds  Christ  as  he  is  in  the  act  of  performing  miracles,  and  teaching 
the  multitude  in  the  open  air.  As  he  is  not  able  to  approach  him 
for  the  crowd,  he  mounts  a  rock  not  far  oft*.  Thence  he  fixes  his 
eyes  upon  Christ,  and  begins  to  take  his  likeness.  Jesus,  who  sees 
him,  and  also  knows  in  spirit  the  contents  of  the  letter,  sends 
Thomas  to  bring  him  to  him,  writes  his  answer  to  Abgarus.  and  gives 
it  to  him.  But  seeing  that  Ananias  still  lingers,  Jesus  calls  for 
water,  and  having  washed  his  face,  he  wipes  it  on  a  cloth,  on  which, 
by  his  divine  power,  there  remains  a  perfect  portrait  of  his  features ; 
this  he  gives  to  Ananias,  charging  him  to  take  it  to  Abgarus,  so  that 
his  longing  may  be  satisfied,  and  his  disease  cured.  On  the  way 
Ananias  passes  by  the  city  of  Hierapolis,  but  remains  outside  the 
gates,  and  hides  the  holy  cloth  in  a  heap  of  freshly  made  bricks. 
At  midnight  the  inhabitants  of  Hierapolis  perceive  that  this  heap 
of  bricks  is  surrounded  with  fire.  They  discover  Ananias,  and  he 
owns  the  supernatural  character  of  the  object  hidden  among  the 
bricks.  They  find  not  only  the  miraculous  cloth,  but  more  still  ; 
for,  by  a  mysterious  virtue,  a  brick  that  lay  near  the  cloth  has 
received  a  second  impress  of  the  divine  image.  And  as  no  fire  is 
discoverable,  except  the  light  that  proceeds  from  the  picture,  the 
inhabitants  keep  the  brick  as  a  sacred  treasure,  and  let  Ananias  go 
on  his  way.  He  gives  King  Abgarus  the  letter  and  the  cloth,  who 
is  immediately  healed."  This  last  legend  was  edited  by  the  Em- 
peror Constantiue  Porphyrogenitus,  and  in  his  time  the  original  nap- 
kin was  at  Constantinople ;  two  others  at  Rome  and  Genoa,  while  a 
false  copy  had  been  sent  to  the  King  of  Persia.  The  brick,  too,  had 
remained  in  its  first  cit}-,  but  had  furnished  images  to  other  cities.  In 
fact,  the  Roman  one  still  exists  in  the  church  of  San  Silvestro.  But 
Constantino  has  given  a  third  version,  which  is  that  Christ,  on  the 
way  to  Calvary,  wiped  his  fiice  on  a  piece  of  linen  on  which  the  impress 
of  his  countenance  was  left,  and  gave  it  to  Thomas,  commanding  that 
after  his  ascension  Thaddcus  should  take  it  to  Abgarus  in  order  to  ful- 
fil the  promise  which  Jesus  had  made.  This  was  done ;  but  Thaddcus 
first  goes  to  the  house  of  a  Jew  in  Edessa,  determined  to  do  some 
miracles  which  shall  attract  the  attention  of  the  king.  And  he  heals 
the  sick,  until  Abgarus  hears  of  him  and  sends  for  him,  hoping  that 
he  is  the  disciple  whom  Christ  iiad  promised  him  should  come.  As 
Thaddcus  enters  the  room,  ho  lifts  up  the  i)icture ;  and  so  great  a 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  39 

light  proceeds  from  it,  that  Abgarus  springs  from  his  bed,  forgetting 
all  his  lameness,  and  goes  to  receive  the  picture.  He  touches  with 
it  his  head  and  limbs,  and  receives  strength.  The  leprosy  disappears 
except  from  his  forehead.  He  is  converted ;  and  when  he  is  baptized, 
even  the  last  marks  of  the  leprosy  disappear.  This  legend  has  been 
often  represented  in  painting. 

St.  Achilleus  and  St.  Nereus.  These  are  Roman  saints,  and 
the  church  dedicated  to  them  is  near  the  Baths  of  Caracalla.  They 
were  chamberlains  of  Flavia  Domitilla.  They  persuaded  her  not  to 
marry  Aurelian,  the  son  of  the  consul,  to  w^hom  she  was  betrothed, 
because  he  was  an  idolater.  For  this  they  were  beheaded.  Flavia 
Domitilla  was  the  grand-niece  of  the  Emperor  Domitian.  Her  par- 
ents had  been  martyred  because  they  were  Christians.  She  also 
suffered  death  for  the  same  cause,  at  Terracina.  Nereus  and  Achil- 
leus are  represented  in  secular  habits,  standing  on  each  side  of 
Domitilla.  She  is  dressed  as  a  princess.  They  all  bear  palms. 
May  12. 

St.  Adelaide,  or  Alice,  of  Germany  was  the  daughter  of 
Ealph  II.  of  Burgundy.  Her  father  died  when  she  was  six  years  old, 
and  at  sixteen  she  married  Lothaire,  King  of  Italy.  Her  husband 
did  not  live  long ;  and  after  his  death  Adelaide  w^as  imprisoned  at 
Pavia,  by  Berengarius  III.  She  at  length  escaped,  and  fled  towards 
Germany.  She  was  met  by  the  Emperor  Otho  I.,  who  was  marching 
with  his  army  to  release  her.  Otho  made  a  treaty  with  Berengarius, 
and  married  Alice.  But  the  treaty  was  soon  broken,  when  Otho  sent 
Berengarius  a  prisoner  to  Germany,  and  he  himself  was  crowned 
emperor  at  Rome.  Adelaide  made  use  of  her  rank  and  power  to  do 
good,  and  educated  her  son  Otho  II.  with  carefulness.  The  emperor 
died  after  a  reign  of  thirty-six  years ;  and  his  son  suffered  himself  to 
be  influenced  by  evil  advisers,  and  especially  by  his  second  wife, 
Theophania,  so  that  he  banished  his  good  mother  from  the  court. 
But  being  overtaken  by  misfortune,  he  recalled  her  and  attempted 
to  atone  for  his  wicked  cruelty.  He  died  after  a  reign  of  nine  years, 
and  his  wife,  so  long  as  she  lived,  insulted  St.  Adelaide  by  the  most 
disrespectful  treatment;  but  she  soon  died  also,  and  Adelaide  became 
regent.  From  this  time  she  devoted  herself  to  good  works,  and  built 
many  religious  edifices.  The  people,  who  loved  her,  were  guided  by 
her  into  virtue  and  piety.     She  died  at  Salcis,  when  on  a  journey. 


40  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

A  part  of  her  relics  are  preserved  in  a  shrine  in  Hanover.  Decem- 
ber 16,  A.  D.  999. 

St.  Adelaide  was  the  wife  of  St.  Lupo,  and  the  mother  of  St. 
Grata,  who  together  with  St.  Alexander  the  martyr,  are  saints  be- 
longing especially  to  Bergamo,  the  last  two  being  the  patron  saints 
of  that  city.  St.  Grata,  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  became  a 
Christian,  and  converted  her  father,  who  was  Duke  of  Bergamo,  and 
her  mother,  St.  Adelaide,  to  the  same  faith.  Through  the  influence 
of  St.  Grata,  St.  Lupo  founded  the  cathedral  at  Bergamo.  After  the 
death  of  her  parents  Grata  governed  Bergamo,  and  founded  three 
churches  and  a  hospital,  where  she  herself  ministered  to  the  sick. 
St.  Alexander  was  a  soldier  of  the  Theban  Legion,  and  was  beheaded 
outside  Bergamo.  Grata  wrapped  the  head  in  a  napkin,  and  gave 
honorable  burial  to  the  remains.  St  Adelaide  is  represented  with  a 
crown  and  a  long  veil,  St.  Lupo  with  a  royal  crown,  St.  Alexander 
as  a  Roman  warrior  with  a  palm,  and  St.  Grata  as  carrying  the  head 
of  Alexander. 

St.  Adrian  (Gr.  "Ay.. 'A8ptavo9 ;  Lat.  S.  Adrianus ;  Fr.  St. 
Adrien ;  Ital.  Sant'  Adriano)  was  a  military  saint,  and  for  ages  was 
considered  next  to  St.  George  in  Northern  Europe.  In  the  North 
of  France,  Flanders,  and  Germany,  he  was  the  patron  saint  of  sol- 
diers, and  protector  against  the  plague.  He  is  also  the  patron  of 
Flemish  brewers.  He  was  a  noble  lloman,  son  of  Probus.  At  the 
time  of  the  tenth  persecution  of  the  Christians  at  Nicomedia,  a  city 
of  Bithynia  (a.  d.  290),  he  served  in  the  guards  of  the  Emperor 
Galerius  Maximian.  He  was  less  than  thirty  years  old,  and  was 
married  to  Natalia,  who  was  a  Christian  secretly.  She  was  exceed- 
ingly virtuous  and  beautiful.  The  imperial  edict  was  torn  down  by 
St.  George,  which  so  infuriated  the  emperor  that  thirty-four  Chris- 
tians were  sentenced  to  the  torture  at  one  time.  It  fell  by  lot  to 
Adrian  to  superintend  the  execution  of  the  sentence.  When  he  saw 
the  manner  in  which  the  Christians  suffered  for  their  faith,  he  was 
suddenly  converted,  and  seating  himself  in  their  midst,  exclaimed, 
"  Consider  me  also  as  one  of  ye  ;  for  I  too  will  be  a  Christian."  Ho 
was  immediately  imprisoned.  Natalia,  hearing  this,  was  full  of  joy, 
and  going  to  him  encouraged  him  to  suffer  for  Christ.  Adrian  was 
soon  condemned  to  die;  and  the  night  before  his  execution,  ho  bribed 
his  jailer  to  permit  him   to  visit   Natalia.     She,   hearing   that   her 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  41 

husband  had  left  his  prison,  was  in  great  sorrow,  and  tearing  her  gar- 
ments threw  herself  down,  saying,  "  Alas !  miserable  that  I  am  !  I 
have  not  deserved  to  be  the  wife  of  a  martyr  !  Now  will  men  point 
at  me  and  say,  Behold  the  wife  of  the  coward  and  apostate,  who  for 
fear  of  death  hath  denied  his  God."  But  Adrian,  who  had  now  come, 
hearing  these  words,  said,  "  0  thou  noble  and  strong-hearted  woman  ! 
Oh,  bless  God  that  I  am  not  unworthy  of  thee  !  Open  the  door  that 
I  may  bid  thee  farewell  before  I  die."  Joyfully  she  opened  the  door 
and  embraced  him,  and  returned  to  prison  with  him.  The  next  day 
Adrian  was  scourged  and  tortured,  and  sent  back  to  prison.  The 
tyrants,  hearing  of  the  devotion  of  Natalia,  ordered  that  no  woman 
should  be  admitted  to  the  prison.  She  then  cut  off  her  beautiful 
hair,  and  dressed  as  a  man,  and  so  gained  admission  to  Adrian.  She 
found  him  torn  and  bleeding.  She  took  him  in  her  arms,  and  said, 
**  0  light  of  mine  eyes  and  husband  of  mine  heart !  Blessed  art 
thou,  who  art  called  to  suffer  for  Christ's  sake ! "  Thus  she  so 
strengthened  his  heart  that  he  was  able  to  endure  to  the  end.  The 
next  day  his  limbs  were  struck  off  on  an  anvil,  and  he  was  beheaded. 
Natalia  supported  him  in  his  sufferings,  and  he  expired  in  her  arms 
before  the  last  blow.  Kissing  him,  she  took  one  of  his  hands,  which 
she  wrapped  in  linen  with  spices  and  perfumes,  and  placed  it  at  the 
head  of  her  bed.  His  body  was  taken  by  Christians  to  Byzantium, 
since  Constantinople.  There  is  a  tradition  that  in  the  ninth  century 
it  was  removed  to  the  convent  which  bears  his  name,  at  Grammont, 
in  Flanders.  After  this  the  emperor  threatened  to  marry  Natalia  to 
a  tribune  of  the  army.  She  fled  to  Argyropolis,  near  Byzantium,  and 
passed  her  life  near  the  tomb  of  Adrian.  He  often  appeared  to  her 
in  visions,  and  asked  her  to  follow  him,  which  she  soon  did  ;  and 
when  she  died,  Adrian  with  rejoicing  angels  met  her,  and  together 
they  entered  the  presence  of  God.  An  anvil  is  the  attribute  of 
Adrian,  and  is  represented  at  his  feet  or  in  his  hand.  His  sword 
was  long  kept  as  a  relic,  at  Walbeck,  in  Saxony ;  but  the  Emperor 
Henry  II.  (St.  Henry)  girded  it  on  himself  when  preparing  to  go 
against  the  Turks  and  Hungarians,     a.  d.  290. 

St.  Afra  was  the  daughter  of  St.  Hilaria,  and  is  the  patroness 
of  Augsburg.  She  was  for  a  long  time  a  courtesan  in  that  city,  and 
had  three  maidens  as  dissolute  as  herself,  —  Digna,  Eunomia,  and 
Eutropia.     At  length  Narcissus,  a  holy  man  fleeing  from  persecution. 


42  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

came  to  her  house,  not  knowing  her  character.  When  she  found  he 
was  a  priest,  she  was  overcome  with  fear,  and  for  the  first  time  was 
ashamed  of  her  life  of  sin.  He  told  her  of  Christ,  and  at  length  she 
besought  him  to  allow  her  to  be  baptized.  He,  knowing  that  Christ 
did  not  reject  even  the  greatest  sinners,  baptized  her  and  assured  her 
of  forgiveness.  By  her  aid  Narcissus  escaped  to  his  native  Spain. 
Through  her  influence  her  mother  and  the  three  maidens  were  also 
converted.  Afra  was  seized,  and  accused  of  having  assisted  Narcissus 
to  escape  and  of  being  herself  a  Christian.  The  judge,  Gains,  who 
had  known  of  her  former  life,  was  amazed  at  her  modesty,  and  the 
firmness  with  which  she  acknowledged  her  new  faith,  and  asked  her 
how  one  so  vile  could  expect  to  be  received  by  Jesus.  To  which  she 
replied,  "  It  is  true  I  am  unworthy  to  bear  the  name  of  Christian  ; 
nevertheless.  He  who  did  not  reject  Mary  Magdalene  wlien  she 
washed  his  feet  with  her  tears,  will  not  reject  me."  She  was  burned 
alive ;  and  as  she  prayed  in  the  midst  of  the  fire,  angels  bore  her 
spirit  to  heaven.  Shortly  after,  her  mother  and  the  three  maidens 
were  executed  for  their  faith,  and  sufi"ered  with  constancy.  August  5, 
A.D.   304. 

St.  Afra,  patroness  of  Brescia,  is  supposed  to  have  been  of 
noble  family.  She  was  converted  by  the  works  of  San  Faustino 
and  San  Giovita  (Faustinus  and  Jovita),  and  suffered  martyrdom 
with  Calocerus.  The  church  dedicated  to  her  is  one  of  the  finest 
ornaments  of  Brescia. 

St.  Agatha  {Lat.  Sancta  Agatha;  Fr.  Ste.  Agathe;  Ital.  Santa 
Agata ;  Ger.  Die  Heilige  Agatha),  virgin  and  martyr ;  patroness  of 
Malta  and  Catania,  also  protectress  against  fire  and  all  diseases  of 
the  breast.  The  Emperor  Decius  strangled  his  predecessor,  Philip; 
and  desiring  to  make  it  appear  that  he  did  this  because  Philip 
was  a  Christian,  and  not  for  his  own  advancement,  he  instituted 
great  persecutions  of  the  Christians  throughout  his  empire.  He 
made  Quintianus  king  of  Sicily.  Here,  at  Catania,  dwelt  Agatha, 
a  maiden  of  great  beauty,  whom  Quintianus  tcmj)ted  with  presents, 
flattery,  and  promises,  without  success.  He  then  gave  her  to  Fron- 
disia,  who  was  a  courtesan  with  nine  daughters,  all  as  wicked  as 
possible,  and  promised  her  great  riches  if  she  would  subdue  Agatha 
to  his  wishes.  Frondisia  attempted  to  influence  Agatha  by  every 
means  in  her  power  for  thirty-three  days ;   but  she  remained  fixed 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  43 

in  her  purity,  and  her  faith  in  Jesus.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
Frondisia  said  to  Quintianus,  "Sooner  shall  that  sword  at  thy  side 
become  like  liquid  lead,  and  the  rocks  dissolve  and  flow  like  water, 
than  the  heart  of  this  damsel  be  subdued  to  thy  will."  Then  Quin- 
tianus in  fury  commanded  her  to  be  brought,  and  attempted  to 
move  her  by  threats ;  but  she  said,  "  If  thou  shouldst  throw  me 
to  the  wild  beasts,  the  power  of  Christ  would  render  them  weak 
as  lambs ;  if  thou  shouldst  kindle  a  fire  to  consume  me,  the  angels 
would  quench  it  with  their  dews  from  heaven ;  if  thou  shouldst 
tear  me  with  scourges,  the  Holy  Spirit  within  me  would  render 
thy  tortures  harmless."  Then  the  tyrant  ordered  her  to  be  beaten, 
and  her  bosom  to  be  torn  with  shears.  After  that  she  was  thrown 
into  a  dark  dungeon.  At  midnight  there  came  an  aged  man  bearing 
a  vase  of  ointment,  and  a  youth  with  a  torch.  It  was  St.  Peter 
and  an  angel,  but  Agatha  did  not  know  them ;  and  the  light  which 
filled  the  dungeon  so  frightened  the  guards  that  they  fled,  leaving 
the  door  open.  Then  one  said  to  the  maiden,  "Arise  and  fly." 
But  she  replied,  "  God  forbid  that  I  should  fly  from  my  crown  of 
martyrdom,  and  be  the  occasion  that  my  keepers  should  suflfer, 
for  my  flight,  tortures,  and  death ;  I  will  not  fly."  Then  St. 
Peter  healed  all  her  wounds  with  celestial  ointment,  and  vanished 
from  her  sight.  The  rage  of  Quintianus  not  being  satisfied,  he  sent 
for  her  again,  and  was  astonished  at  the  wonderful  cure  of  her 
wound^f.  "Who  hath  healed  thee]"  asked  he;  she  replied,  "He, 
whom  I  confess  and  adore  with  my  heart  and  with  my  lips,  hath 
sent  his  apostle,  and  healed  me,  and  delivered  me."  Then  Quin- 
tianus ordered  her  to  be  burned  ;  and  as  she  was  thrown  in  the 
fire,  a  great  earthquake  shook  the  city,  and  the  people  ran  to  the 
palace,  crying,  "  This  has  fallen  upon  us  because  of  the  sufferings 
of  this  Christian  damsel;"  and  they  threatened  to  burn  Quintianus 
if  he  did  not  desist.  So  he  ordered  her  to  be  taken  from  the  flames, 
and  she  was  borne  again  to  prison,  scorched,  and  in  great  agony. 
Here  she  entreated  God  to  release  her  and  take  her  to  heaven ; 
which  prayer  was  heard,  for  immediately  she  died.  The  Christians 
embalmed  her  body,  and  placed  it  in  a  tomb  of  porphyry.  Near 
to  Catania  is  a  volcano  which  the  people  call  Mongibello  (Mt.  ^tna), 
and  about  a  year  after  the  death  of  Agatha  this  mountain  opened 
and  sent  forth  streams  of  fire.     When  the  fire  had  almost  reached 


44  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

the  city,  the  people  took  the  veil  of  Agatha  from  her  tomb,  and 
placing  it  on  a  lance  bore  it  in  procession  towards  the  fire,  and 
when  they  came  to  it  the  fire  was  stayed  and  the  city  saved.  When 
the  heathen  saw  this  miracle,  they  were  all  converted  and  baptized. 
There  is  in  Malta  a  subterranean  chapel  dedicated  to  St.  Agatha. 
It  is  cut  out  of  the  rock,  and  the  walls  are  frescoed.  Tradition 
asserts  that  the  ground  once  belonged  to  the  family  of  the  saint. 
St.  Agatha  is  usually  represented  with  a  palm  in  one  hand  and  a 
salver  in  the  other,  on  which  is  the  female  breast.  Sometimes  the 
shears  are  beside  her.     She  wears  a  long  veil.    February  5,  a.  d.  251. 

St.  Aglae  {Gr.  'Ay.  "AyAat?)  was  a  Greek  by  birth,  and  lived  with 
her  lover,  Boniface,  in  sin  and  luxury  for  many  years.  In  the  time 
of  the  last  persecution  of  the  Christians,  they  were  both  converted 
from  their  sins,  and  became  followers  of  Christ.  Aglae  sent  Boniface 
with  great  treasures  to  assist  the  martyrs  and  to  bury  their  remains. 
In  his  zeal,  he  exposed  himself  and  suffered  martyrdom.  His  body 
was  brought  to  Aglae.  She  built,  on  the  western  side  of  the  Aven- 
tine,  an  oratory,  wherein  she  placed  the  remains  of  Boniface,  and  she 
spent  the  remainder  of  her  life  in  prayers  and  penitence.  May  14. 
Boniface  died,  about  307 ;  Aglae,  fifteen  years  later. 

St.  Agnes  (Za^.  Sancta  Agnus;  Ital.  Sant'  Agnese  ;  Sp.  Santa 
Inez ;  Fr.  Ste.  Agnes).  St.  Agnes  was  a  Roman  maiden  of  great 
beauty,  and  a  Christian  from  her  infancy.  She  was  not  more  than 
thirteen  years  old  when  the  son  of  the  prefect  Sempronius  saw  her, 
and  so  loved  her  that  he  sought  her  for  his  wife.  But  she  refused 
his  reqiiest,  saying  that  she  was  already  affianced  to  a  husband  whom 
she  loved,  meaning  Jesus.  The  young  man  knew  not  to  whom  she 
referred ;  and  his  jealousy  and  disappointed  love  made  him  sick, 
almost  unto  death.  Then  the  physicians  said,  "This  youth  is  sick 
of  unrequited  love,  and  our  art  can  avail  nothing."  AVhen  the  pre- 
fect questioned  his  son,  he  told  his  father  of  his  love  for  Agnes,  and 
that  unless  she  would  be  his  wife  ho  must  die.  Then  Sempronius 
begged  of  Agnes  and  her  parents  that  she  should  marry  his  son ;  but 
she  replied,  as  before,  that  she  preferred  her  betrothed  to  the  son  of 
the  prefect.  "When  he  had  inquired  her  meaning,  and  found  that  she 
was  a  Christian,  he  was  glad  ;  for  there  was  an  edict  against  the  Chris- 
tians, and  he  felt  she  was  in  his  power.  lie  then  ti)ld  her  that  since 
she  would  have  no  earthly  husl^nd,  she  must  become  a  Vestal  Virgin. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  45 

But  she  refused  with  scorn  the  worship  of  vain  images,  and  declared 
that  she  would  serve  none  but  Jesus.  Sempronius  then  threatened 
her  with  the  most  horrid  death,  and  put  her  in  chains,  and  dragged 
her  to  the  altars  of  the  gods.  But  she  remained  firm.  Then  he 
ordered  her  to  be  taken  to  a  house  of  infamy,  to  suffer  the  most  fear- 
ful outrages.  The  soldiers  stripped  off  her  garments ;  but  when  she 
prayed,  her  hair  was  lengthened  till  it  was  as  a  cloak  about  her, 
covering  her  whole  person,  and  those  who  saw  her  were  seized  with 
fear.  So  they  shut  her  in  a  room ;  and  when  she  prayed  to  Christ 
that  she  might  not  be  dishonored,  she  saw  before  her  a  shining  white 
garment,  which  she  put  on  with  joy,  and  the  room  was  filled  with 
great  light.  The  son  of  the  prefect,  thinking  she  must  be  subdued, 
now  came  to  her.  But  he  was  struck  blind,  and  fell  in  convulsions. 
Agnes,  moved  by  his  sufferings  and  the  tears  of  his  friends,  prayed 
for  his  recovery,  and  he  was  healed.  When  Sempronius  saw  this,  he 
wished  to  save  her;  but  the  people  said,  "She  is  a  sorceress;  let  her 
die."  So  she  was  condemned  to  be  burned;  but  the  flames  harmed 
her  not,  while  her  executioners  were  consumed  by  them.  Then  they 
cried  out  the  more,  "  She  is  a  sorceress  :  she  must  die."  Then  an 
executioner  was  commanded  to  ascend  the  pile,  and  kill  her  with  the 
sword.  This  he  did ;  and  gazing  steadfastly  towards  heaven,  she  fell 
dead  upon  the  pile.  She  was  buried  on  the  Via  Nomentana,  and  the 
Christians  were  accustomed  to  visit  her  tomb  to  weep.  But  she  ap- 
peared to  them,  and  forbade  that  they  should  sorrow  for  one  who  was 
happy  in  heaven.  St.  Agnes  is  a  favorite  saint  of  the  Roman,  and, 
in  general,  of  young  Catholic  women.  There  is  one  church  dedicated 
to  her,  on  the  Piazza  Navona,  on  the  spot  where  stood  the  house  of 
infamy  to  which  she  was  carried  ;  and  another  of  great  interest  be- 
yond the  Porta  Pia,  said  to  have  been  built  by  Constantino,  at  the 
request  of  his  daughter,  Constantina,  to  commemorate  the  burial- 
place  of  St.  Agnes.  Next  to  the  Evangelists  and  Apostles,  there  is 
no  saint  whose  images  are  older  than  those  of  St.  Agnes.  She  is 
most  frequently  represented  with  a  lamb.  January  21,  a.  d.  304. 
She  is  one  of  the  four  great  virgin  martyrs  of  the  Latin  ChUrch. 

St.  Agnes  of  Monte  Pulciano.  Tiiis  saint  was  remarkable 
for  her  piety  from  her  very  infancy.  At  nine  years  of  age  she  was 
placed  in  a  nunnery,  and  at  fifteen  was  made  prioress  of  a  new  con- 
vent at  Procino,  of  the  Dominican  Order.     She  slept  on  the  ground 


46  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

with  a  stone  pillow,  and  lived  on  bread  and  water  for  fifteen  years, 
until  she  was  obliged  to  diminish  her  austerities  on  account  of  her 
health.  At  length  the  people  of  Monte  Pulciano,  being  desirous  that 
she  should  return  to  her  native  town,  built  a  convent  on  a  spot  where 
they  had  destroyed  a  lewd  house;  of  which  convent  St.  Agnes  became 
the  superior.  She  had  the  gifts  of  miracles  and  prophecy,  and  was 
greatly  beloved.  St.  Catherine  of  Siena  made  a  pilgrimage  to  the 
tomb  of  St.  Agnes  with  two  of  her  nieces,  who  took  the  veil  on  that 
occasion.     She  is  greatly  venerated  in  Tuscany.    April  20,  a.  d.  1317. 

St.  Alban  was  the  first  saint  and  martyr  in  England,  on  which 
account  the  Abbot  of  St.  Alban's  had  precedence  over  all  others. 
This  saint  was  a  native  of  Verulam.  He  lived  in  the  time  of  Aure- 
lian,  and  went  to  Rome.  While  still  an  idolater,  he  was  noted  for  his 
hospitality,  charity,  and  many  virtues,  as  well  as  for  his  great  learn- 
ing. When  the  persecution  of  Diocletian  invaded  Britain,  St.  Alban 
gave  shelter  to  a  priest,  who  was  the  means  of  his  conversion,  and 
baptized  him.  When  the  priest  was  pursued  to  his  house,  St.  Alban 
put  on  his  long  robe  and  gave  himself  to  the  soldiers  to  save  his 
guest.  He  was  condemned  to  death,  as  he  would  neither  worship  idols 
nor  surrender  the  priest.  He  was  first  tortured,  and  then  led  out 
for  execution.  It  was  necessary  to  cross  the  river  Coin  to  reach  the 
place  where  he  was  to  suffer.  The  crowd  was  great,  and  the  bridge 
BO  narrow  that  they  could  not  pass  ;  but  when  the  saint  said  a  short 
prayer,  the  waters  were  divided,  and  all  went  over  dry-shod.  W^hen 
on  the  hill  of  execution,  he  prayed  for  water  to  quench  his  thirst  and 
a  spring  gushed  out  at  his  feet.  He  was  beheaded.  His  burial-place 
was  forgotten,  but  disclosed  in  793  by  a  miracle.  An  angel  com- 
manded King  Offa  in  a  vision  that  he  should  find  the  remains  of  this 
saint,  and  secure  to  them  the  veneration  of  the  people.  He  found 
them  at  Verulam,  and  built  a  church  for  them,  near  which  arose  a 
great  Benedictine  monastery  and  the  town  of  St.  Alban's  in  Hertford- 
shire. His  attributes  are  the  sword  and  a  fountain  springing  at  his 
feet.     June  22,  a.  d.  305. 

St.  Albert  {Lat.  S.  Albertus ;  Ital.  Sant'  Alberto)  was  Bishop  of 
Vercelli  and  Patriarch  of  Jerusalem.  He  is  reverenced  as  the  founder 
of  the  Order  of  the  Carmelites.  He  was  murdered  at  Acre,  when 
embarking  to  attend  a  coiuicil  at  Rome.  At  the  cathedral  at  Cre- 
mona is  a  vessel  in  which,  tradition  savs,  St.  Albert  kneiulod  bread 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  47 

for  the  poor.     He  is  represented  in  his  episcopal  robes,  and  carries 
the  pahn. 

Albertus  Magnus,  sometimes  called  Sant'  Alberto  Magno,  was 
a  teacher  of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  and  is  represented  in  art  in  com- 
pany with  that  saint, 

St.  Alexander  {Ital.  Sant'  Alessandro;  Fr.  St.  Alexandre). 
March  18,  a,  d.  251.     See  St.  Adelaide. 

St.  Alexis  {Lat.  S.  Aletius ;  Ital.  Sant'  Alessio ;  Fr.  St.  Alexis  ; 
Ger.  Der  Heilige  Alexius).  In  the  time  of  Pope  Innocent  I.  and  the 
Emperor  Honorius,  there  lived  on  the  Gcelian  Hill  a  man  of  great 
rank  and  wealth,  named  Euphemian.  His  wife  was  called  Aglse. 
For  many  years  they  had  no  child,  and  on  this  account  prayed  ear- 
nestly to  God,  until  at  length  they  had  a  son,  whom  they  called 
Alexis.  From  his  childhood  he  devoted  himself  to  the  service  of  God, 
and  wore  beneath  his  rich  clothing  a  shirt  of  hair,  and  when  in  his 
own  chamber  bewailed  his  sins  and  those  of  the  whole  w^orld,  and 
made  a  vow  to  serve  God  alone.  At  length  Euphemian  selected  a 
beautiful  maiden  of  noble  rank  to  be  the  wife  of  Alexis.  When  he 
saw  the  loveliness  of  his  bride  and  remembered  his  vow,  he  trembled. 
He  did  not  dare  to  disobey  his  father,  and  the  wedding  was  cele- 
brated with  great  pomp.  Then  Alexis  went  to  the  chamber  of  his 
bride,  and  gave  her  a  gold  ring,  a  girdle  of  precious  stones,  and  a 
purple  veil,  and  bade  her  farewell,  and  was  seen  no  more.  His 
mother  and  his  wife  passed  their  time  in  the  deepest  grief,  while  his 
father  sent  through  all  the  wcH'ld  to  find  him.  Alexis,  disguised  as  a 
pilgrim,  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Tiber  in  a  small  boat,  and  sailed 
from  Ostia  for  Laodicea.  Thence  he  w^ent  to  Edessa,  in  Mesopota- 
mia, where  he  dwelt,  ministering  to  the  poor  and  sick,  until  the  peo- 
ple called  him  a  saint.  Fearing  popular  favor,  he  sailed  for  Tarsus 
to  pay  his  devotions  to  St.  Paul.  But  the  vessel  in  a  storm  was 
driven  to  Ostia.  So,  then,  Alexis  went  to  his  father's  house,  and 
begged  that  he  might  live  upon  his  charity.  Euphemian,  not  recog- 
nizing him,  thought  upon  his  son,  that  he  too  might  be  poor  and  in 
need,  and  gave  orders  that  he  should  be  provided  for.  But  the  ser- 
vants ill-treated  him,  and  gave  him  no  lodging  but  a  hole  under  the 
marble  steps  of  the  house.  But  the  hardest  thing  he  had  to  endure 
was  to  hear  his  wife  and  mother  constantly  lamenting  for  him  and 
complaining  of  his  absence.  By  this  was  he  sorely  tempted,  but  he 
yielded  not.     Thus  passed  many  years,  till  at  length  he  knew  that  he 


48  LEGEXDS  AND   STORIES 

Diust  die.  Then  he  asked  for  pen  and  ink,  and  wrote  an  account  of 
all  his  life,  and  put  it  in  his  bosom,  Kow,  on  a  feast  day,  as  Pope 
Innocent  was  singing  high  mass,  the  Emperor  Honorius  present,  and 
Euphemian  was  standing  by  the  latter,  a  voice  cried  out,  "  Seek  the 
servant  of  God,  who  is  about  to  depart  from  this  life,  and  who  shall 
pray  for  Rome."  And  the  people  fell  on  their  faces,  and  another  voice 
said,  **  Where  shall  we  seek  himV  And  the  answer  was,  "In  the 
house  of  Euphemian  the  patrician."  So  they  all  went  instantly,  and 
Euphemian  led  the  way  ;  and  as  he  came  near  home,  they  told  him 
that  the  beggar  had  died,  and  they  had  laid  him  on  the  steps  before 
the  door.  When  he  uncovered  the  face,  it  was  as  the  ftice  of  an  angel, 
and  a  great  glory  of  light  shone  from  it.  Then  he  said,  "  This  is  the 
servant  of  God,  of  whom  the  voice  spoke  just  now."  And  the  pope 
took  the  letter  from  the  dead  hand  of  Alexis,  and  read  it  aloud. 
The  father  was  overwhelmed  with  grief.  The  wife  and  the  mother 
rushed  out  and  threw  themselves  on  the  dead  body.  Seven  days  they 
watched  beside  it,  and  many  sick  and  infirm  were  healed  by  touching 
the  holy  remains  of  Alexis.  He  is  the  patron  of  pilgrims  and  beg- 
gars, and  on  the  spot  where  stood  his  father's  house  is  now  the 
church  of  St.  Alexis.  The  marble  steps  beneath  which  he  lived  and 
died  are  preserved  in  the  church  ;  and  a  statue  of  the  saint,  in  the 
dress  of  a  pilgrim  with  a  staff  beside  him,  and  a  letter  in  his  hand, 
is  extended  beneath  them.  Cardinal  Wiseman  wrote  a  charming 
drama  on  the  story  of  St.  Alexis,  entitled  "  The  Hidden  Gem." 
July  24,  A.  D.  400. 

St.  Alphege  was  an  English  nobleman.  He  was  a  most  holy 
man,  and  was  made  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  in  lOOli.  Six  years 
later  the  Danes  took  the  city  and  cathedral  of  Canterbury.  They 
l)ut  the  people  to  death  and  burned  the  city.  St.  Alphege  was  kept 
seven  months  in  prison,  and  then  stoned  to  death  because  he  refused 
to  pay  a  large  ransom  for  his  life.  The  place  where  he  met  his  death 
was  at  Greenwich,  and  the  same  as  that  on  which  the  parish  church 
now  stands.  It  is  said  that  ten  years  after  death  his  boily  was  found 
entire  and  incorrupt.  It  was  removed  from  St.  Paul's  to  the  Canter- 
bury Cathedral,  and  enshrined  near  the  high  altar.  He  is  represented 
with  lii.s  chaKublo  full  of  stones.     April  19,  a.  D.  1012. 

St.  Ambrose  {Lat.  S.  Ambrosius  ;  ItaL  Sant'  Ambrogio ;  Fr. 
St.  Ambrose  ;  6Vr.  Dor  Heiligo  Ambrosius).  St.  Ambrose  is  one 
of  the  Fathers  of  the  Church.     He  was  born  at  Treves,  a.  d.  340, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  49 

and  was  a  son  of  a  prefect  of  Gaul  of  the  same  name.  He  studied 
at  Rome,  and  being  at  length  appointed  prefect  of  Emilia  and  Ligu- 
ria  (Piedmont  and  Genoa),  he  resided  at  Milan.  He  was  very  elo- 
quent ;  and  the  same  story  that  is  told  of  Plato  and  Archilochus  is 
told  of  him,  —  namely,  that  when  an  infant  in  his  cradle  a  swarm  of 
bees  alighted  on  his  mouth  without  injuring  him.  This  was  thought 
to  indicate  his  future  eloquence.  Shortly  after  his  going  to  Milan 
the  bishop  died ;  and  a  great  dispute  arose  between  the  Catliolics  and 
Arians  concerning  the  succession,  when  Ambrose  by  his  eloquence 
quieted  them.  In  the  midst  of  it  a  voice  like  that  of  a  child  cried 
out,  "Ambrose  shall  be  bishop."  To  this  he  greatly  objected,  espe- 
cially as  he  was  only  a  catechumen.  But  the  people  would  not  listen 
to  this  refusal ;  and  being  baptized,  in  due  time  he  was  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Milan.  He  first  gave  all  his  property  to  the  poor,  and  then 
devoted  himself  to  such  studies  as  would  fit  him  for  his  office.  St. 
Ambrose  was  an  eloquent  advocate  of  the  advantages  of  celibacy  for 
both  sexes,  and  of  the  supremacy  of  the  Church  above  all  other  pow- 
ers. He  had  no  fear  of  man,  forbidding  even  the  Emperor  Theodosius 
to  enter  the  Church  until  he  had  atoned  for  his  sin  in  permitting  the 
massacre  of  seven  thousand  men  at  Thessalonica,  by  public  penance. 
He  founded  the  Basilica  of  Sant'  Ambrogio  Maggiore  at  Milan  in  387, 
and  dedicated  it  to  all  the  saints.  He  is  the  patron  saint  of  Milan. 
There  are  many  wonderful  and  miraculous  circumstances  related  in 
his  life  ;  and  at  his  death  it  was  said  that  Christ  visited  him,  and  that 
he  ascended  to  heaven  in  the  arms  of  angels.  He  is  represented  as 
a  mitred  bishop  with  the  crosier ;  sometimes  with  a  beehive  at  his 
feet ;  but  his  usual  attribute  is  a  knotted  scourge  with  three  thongs. 
April  4,  A.  D.  397. 

St.  Anastasia  {Fr.  Ste.  Anastasie  ;  Gr.  *Ay.  ' kvaa-raairj) .  Just 
under  the  Palatine  Hill  is  the  church  dedicated  to  this  saint,  who, 
while  she  has  great  fame  among  Greek  Christians,  was  a  Roman  lady. 
She  was  condemned  to  the  flames  in  the  persecution  of  Diocletian. 
She  suffered  greatly  at  the  hands  of  her  husband  and  family  because 
she  openly  professed  Christianity.  St.  Chrysogonus  (Grisogono)  is 
chiefly  celebrated  for  his  influence  over  Anastasia  and  for  the  courage 
with  which  he  inspired  her.  He  was  slain  by  the  sword  and  thrown 
into  the  sea.  They  are  said  to  have  suff'ered  at  lllyria ;  but  Anastasia 
was  buried  by  ApoUina  in  her  garden,  near  the  Circus  Maximus,  where 

4 


50  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

her  church  now  stands.  It  is  said  that  St.  Jerome  once  celebrated 
mass  in  this  church.  There  is  also  a  beautiful  church  at  Verona 
dedicated  to  St.  Anastasia.  The  church  of  Chrysogonus  in  the  Tras- 
tevere,  built  in  599,  was  rebuilt  in  1G23  by  Scipio  Borghese,  CardiuaJ 
of  S:m  Griso^^ono.     December  25,  a.  d.  304. 

St.  Andrea  of  Corsini  was  born  in  1302.  He  was  of  the  Cor- 
sini  family  of  Florence.  He  was  extremel}^  wild  until  he  was  sixteen 
years  old,  when  his  mother,  in  despair,  told  him  of  a  dream  which 
she  had  before  his  birth,  in  which  she  dreamed  of  giving  birth  to 
a  wolf;  but  this  wolf  on  entering  a  church  was  changed  to  a  lamb. 
This  greatly  affected  Andrea,  and  he  went  to  a  Carmelite  church  to 
pray,  where  such  a  change  was  begun  in  him  that  at  seventeen  he 
became  a  friar.  He  was  Bishop  of  Fiesole.  The  Florentines  attrib- 
uted to  the  protection  of  this  saint  their  victory  of  the  battle  of 
Anghiari.     Februarj'  4,  a.  d.  1373. 

St.  Andrew  (^Lat.  S.  Andreas;  Ital.  Sant'  Andrea ;  Fr.  St.  Andre  ; 
Gr.  "Ay.  "Ai/^pctti).  St.  Andrew  was  the  first  called  to  be  an  Apostle. 
He  "was  the  brother  of  Simon  Peter.  Very  little  is  said  of  him 
in  Scripture.  Legends  tell  that  he  travelled  into  Scythia,  Cappa- 
docia,  and  Bithynia,  and  converted  multitudes  by  his  preaching. 
The  Russians  believe  that  he  preached  to  the  Muscovites  in  Sarmatia. 
He  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  after  visiting  Greece  came  to  Pati-as, 
a  city  of  Achaia.  Here,  among  many  others,  he  converted  Maximilla, 
wife  of  iEgeus,  the  proconsul.  He  also  persuaded  her  to  make  a 
public  confession,  which  so  enraged  her  husband  that  he  condemned 
St.  Andrew  to  be  scourged  and  crucified.  There  is  a  variet}^  of  opin- 
ions as  to  the  form  of  the  cross  on  which  he  suffered  ;  but  the  one 
called  by  his  name  is  generally  believed  to  be  like,  that  on  which  he 
died.  It  is  said  that  he  was  fjistened  with  cords  rather  than  nails. 
When  he  approached  his  cross,  he  venerated  it  as  having  been  sanc- 
tified by  Jesus.  He  was  gloriously  triumphant  in  his  death.  In  the 
fourth  century  a  part  of  the  relics  of  St.  Andrew  were  taken  to  Scot- 
land, since  which  time  he  has  been  the  patron  saint  of  that  country 
and  of  its  first  order  of  knighthood.  He  is  the  patron  of  the  Order 
of  the  Golden  Fleece  of  Burgundy,  as  well  as  of  Russia,  and  of  its 
great  order  of  the  Cross  of  St.  Andrew.  He  is  represented  leaning 
on  his  cross,  the  Gospel  in  his  hand  ;  his  Imir  and  beard  are  silvery 
white,  and  his  beard  divided.     November  30,  a.  d.  70. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  51 

St.  Angelus,  the  Carmelite,  c^me  from  the  East,  and  preached 
in  Palermo  and  Messina.  There  was  a  certain  Count  Berenger,  who 
led  an  openly  shameful  life  with  his  own  sister.  Being  rebuked  by 
Angelo,  he  commanded  him  to  be  hung  upon  a  tree  and  shot  with 
arrows.  The  legend,  and  in  fact  the  very  existence  of  this  saint,  have 
been  disputed ;  but  pictures  said  to  represent  him  are  seen  at  Bologna. 
May  5,  A.  D.  1225. 

St.  Anianus,  or  Annianus.  In  the  Acts  of  St.  Mark  we  are 
told  that  this  saint  was  a  shoemaker  whom  St.  Mark  healed  when 
he  first  entered  the  city  of  Alexandria.  He  became  so  zealous  a 
convert,  and  learned  so  rapidly,  that  St.  Mark  made  him  bishop 
during  his  absence.  He  governed  the  church  at  Alexandria  four 
years  with  St.  Mark,  and  eighteen  years  after  his  death.  There  was 
a  church  in  that  city  dedicated  to  him.     April  25,  a.  d.  86. 

St.  Anna,  the  mother  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  whose  name  signi- 
fies "  gracious,"  is  much  honored  in  the  Church,  and  numerous  miracles 
have  been  attributed  to  her  intercession.  About  550  Justinian  I. 
built  a  church  at  Constantinople,  and  dedicated  it  to  St.  Anna.  Her 
body  was  removed  from  Palestine  to  Constantinople  in  710.  July  26. 
See  St.  Joachim. 

St.  Ansano  of  Siena.  This  saint  was  a  Roman,  Ansanus  Tran- 
quillinus.  His  nurse,  a  Christian  woman,  named  Maxima,  had  him 
secretly  baptized.  His  faith  was  not  disclosed  until  he  was  nineteen 
years  old,  when  he  began  to  preach  with  great  success.  He  suffered 
much  during  the  persecution  of  Diocletian,  and  was  at  last  beheaded 
on  the  banks  of  the  river  Arbia.  St.  Ansano  w^as,  until  the  end  of 
the  thirteenth  century,  the  great  patron  of  Siena;  and  there  is,  in  the 
Duomo  of  that  city,  a  fine  statue  representing  him  as  baptizing  the 
Sienese  converts. 

St.  Anthony  {Ftal.  Sant'  Antonio  Abbate,  or  I'Eremita ;  Fr. 
St.  Antoine  I'Abbe ;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Anton,  or  Antonius).  St. 
Anthony,  an  Egyptian,  was  born  at  Alexandria.  At  eighteen 
years  of  age  he  was  left  an  orphan,  with  one  sister.  He  had  great 
rank  and  wealth.  Thoughtful  from  childhood,  he  feared  the  tempta- 
tions of  the  world.  Entering  a  church  one  day,  he  heard  these 
words :  "  Every  one  that  hath  forsaken  houses,  or  brethren,  or 
sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  my 
name's   sake,  shall  receive   a  hundred-fold,  and  shall   inherit  ever- 


52  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

lasting  life;"  and  at  another  time,  ''If  thoa  wilt  be  perfect,  go, 
sell  all  thou  hast,  and  give  it  to  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt  have 
treasure  in  heaven."  lie  was  so  impressed  by  these  things  that 
he  took  them  as  a  warning  from  God.  He  divided  his  wealth 
with  his  sister,  gave  all  his  share  to  the  poor,  and  joined  a 
company  of  hermits  in  the  desert.  Here  he  lived  so  pure  a  life 
as  to  arouse  the  hatred  of  Satan,  who  sent  demons  to  tempt  and 
torment  him.  They  whispered  to  him  of  all  he  had  left  be- 
hind, and  pictured  before  his  mind  the  attractions  of  the  world. 
But  he  prayed  until  great  drops  stood  on  his  brow,  and  the 
demons  despaired.  They  then  placed  delicious  food  before  him, 
and,  assuming  the  forms  of  lovely  women,  tempted  him  to  sin. 
Again  he  resisted  all  their  arts  with  prayer;  but  he  suffered  so 
much  that  he  determined  to  go  yet  farther  into  the  desert,  and 
he  found  a  cave  where  he  thought  Satan  could  not  discover  him. 
But  here  the  demons  came,  and  tortured  him  with  all  kinds  of 
horrible  pains,  and  tore  him  with  their  claws,  till  a  hermit  who 
carried  him  food  found  him  lying  as  if  dead.  He  bore  him  to  his 
cell ;  but  as  soon  as  Anthony  revived,  he  insisted  upon  returning 
to  his  cave,  and  when  there  he  cried  out,  "  Ha  !  thou  arch  tempter ! 
didst  thou  think  I  had  fled  1  Lo,  here  I  am  again ;  I,  Anthony  ! 
I  have  strength  to  combat  still ! "  Then  was  Satan  furious,  and 
he  set  his  demons  to  try  all  their  powers  to  overcome  him.  They 
surrounded  him  with  lions,  tigers,  serpents,  scorpions,  and  all  the 
horrible  shapes  they  could  conceive,  and  they  were  roaring  and  hiss- 
ing all  around  him.  But  in  the  midst  of  all  this  came  a  great  light 
from  heaven,  and  the  beasts  vanished  ;  while  Anthony,  looking  up, 
cried  out,  "  0  Lord  Jesus  Christ  !  where  wert  thou  in  those  mo- 
ments of  anguish?"  And  Christ  said  gently,  "Anthony,  I  was  here 
beside  thee,  and  rejoiced  to  see  thee  contend  and  overcome.  Be  of 
go(jd  heart ;  for  I  will  make  thy  name  famous  through  all  the  world." 
Then  he  resolved  to  go  even  farther  into  the  desert.  As  ho  trav- 
elled he  saw  heaps  of  gold  and  silver,  but  ho  knew  they  were  the 
temptations  of  Satan;  and  when  he  looked  away,  they  disappeared 
in  the  air.  Ho  was  now  thirty-five  years  old,  when  he  shut  himself 
in  a  cavern  for  twenty  years,  and  saw  no  one,  neither  was  he  seen 
of  any  ;  but  when  he  came  forth,  all  could  see  that  ho  had  been 
miraculously  sustained,  for  he   was  not  wasted  or  changed,  except 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  53 

that  his  hair  was  white  and  his  beard  long.  And  now  he  preached 
the  love  of  God  to  all  men;  comforted  the  sick  and  afilicted,  and 
expelled  demons,  over  whom  he  had  gained  great  power.  Multitudes 
were  converted  and  came  to  the  desert,  until  there  were  five  thou- 
sand hermits  in  the  caves  and  ancient  tombs,  and  St.  Anthony  did 
many  miracles.  At  length,  when  he  had  lived  in  the  desert  seventy- 
five  years,  he  began  to  be  proud  of  his  life  of  self-denial,  and  a  voice 
said  to  him  in  a  vision,  "  There  is  one  holier  than  thou  art,  for  Paul 
the  hermit  has  served  God  in  solitude  and  penance  for  ninety  years." 
So  he  resolved  to  seek  Paul ;  and  as  he  journeyed  he  met  a  centaur, 
who  pointed  the  way  to  him ;  and  again  a  satyr,  who  besought  him 
to  pray  for  him  and  his  people.  The  third  day  he  came  to  the  cave 
of  Paul.  At  first  Paul  would  not  receive  him ;  but  at  length,  moved 
by  his  prayers  and  tears,  he  admitted  him.  Then  they  held  com- 
munion together ;  and  as  they  sat,  a  raven  brought  them  a  loaf  of 
bread,  when  Paul  blessed  God  and  said,  "  For  sixty  years,  every 
day,  hath  this  raven  brought  me  half  a  loaf;  but  because  thou  art 
come,  my  brother,  lo  !  the  portion  is  doubled,  and  we  are  fed  as 
Elijah  was  fed  in  the  wilderness."  And  they  ate  and  returned 
thanks.  Then  Paul  said,  "  My  brother !  God  hath  sent  thee  here 
that  thou  mightest  receive  my  last  breath  and  bury  me.  Go, 
return  to  thy  dwelling;  bring  here  the  cloak  which  was  given  to 
thee  by  that  holy  Bishop  Athanasius,  wrap  me  in  it,  and  lay  me  in 
the  earth."  Then  Anthony  wondered,  for  the  gift  of  the  cloak  was 
unknown  to  all.  But  he  kissed  Paul,  and  hastened  to  bring  the 
cloak;  for  he  feared  he  should  not  reach  him  again  before  his  death. 
Eeturning,  when  he  was  about  three  hours  from  his  cave  he  heard 
heavenly  music,  and  looking  up  saw  the  spirit  of  Paul,  as  a  star, 
borne  by  prophets,  apostles,  and  angels  to  heaven.  Then  Anthony 
lamented,  and  went  with  haste  to  the  cave  where  Paul  was  dead, 
in  the  attitude  of  prayer.  Then  he  wept  ov^er  him  and  recited  the 
office  for  the  dead,  and  he  thought  how  he  could  bury  him,  for  he 
had  not  strength  to  dig  a  grave.  Then  came  two  lions  across  the 
desert,  roaring  as  if  in  sympathy,  and  with  their  paws  they  dug  a 
grave,  in  which  Anthony  laid  Paul,  wrapped  in  the  cloak  of  Atha- 
nasius. When  he  had  returned  to  the  convent,  he  told  all  these 
things,  which  were  believed  by  the  whole  Church,  and  Paul  was 
canonized.     Fourteen  years  after,  Anthony,  being  one  hundred  and 


64  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

four  years  old,  felt  that  he  must  soon  die ;  and  after  going  to  a 
lonely  place  with  a  few  brethren,  he  charged  them  that  they  should 
keep  secret  the  place  of  his  burial.  Gently  his  spirit  passed  away, 
and  angels  conveyed  it  to  heaven.  St.  Anthony  is  represented 
with  various  attributes.  He  wears  a  monk's  habit,  as  the  founder 
of  Monuchism.  In  Greek  pictures  the  letter  0  is  on  the  cope  on 
the  left  shoulder,  and  always  in  blue.  It  is  the  first  letter  of  ©co'?, 
God.  The  crutch  is  a  symbol  of  his  age  and  feebleness.  The  bell 
signifies  his  power  to  exorcise  evil  spirits,  as  a  bell  which  has  been 
blessed  is  used  in  exorcisms.  The  asperges,  or  rod  for  sprinkling 
holy  water,  is  a  symbol  of  the  same  idea.  The  hog  represents  the 
sensuality  and  appetites  which  he  conquered.  Flames  of  fire  under 
his  feet,  or  a  city  or  house  burning,  signify  that  he  is  a  protector 
against  fire  in  this  world  and  the  next  also.  Paul  is  represented  as 
old,  meagre,  half  clothed  in  palm-leaves,  his  hair  long  and  white, 
seated  on  a  rock  in  meditation,  and  a  palm-tree  near  him.  St. 
Anthony,  January  17,  a.  d.   357. 

St.  Antonio,  Archbishop  of  Florence,  was  a  native  of  Florence. 
He  was  born  about  1384.  His  thoughtfulness  and  studiousness 
caused  his  friends  to  regard  him  as  fitted  for  a  religious  life.  He 
went  to  Fiesole,  and  asked  admission  to  the  Dominican  Convent  at 
fifteen.  The  prior,  after  talking  with  him,  told  him  that  when  he 
had  learned  perfectly  the  Book  of  Decrees,  he  would  receive  him. 
This  he  did  in  one  year,  and  then  was  sent  to  Cortona  to  pass  his 
novitiate  in  study.  He  took  his  vows  at  Fiesole,  and  there  formed  a 
tender  attachment  to  the  wonderful  painter-monk,  Fra  Giovanni, 
called  II  Beato  and  Angelico.  It  is  believed  that  the  great  learning 
of  Antonio  was  of  advantage  to  the  heavenly  mind  of  Angelico,  and 
that  their  communion  was  not  without  its  effects  upon  the  latter's 
pictures.  The  Archbishop  of  Florence  dying,  the  pope  wished  to 
give  the  office  to  Angelico  ;  but  he  begged  that  Antonio  should 
have  it  instead,  which  the  pope  granted.  This  greatly  pleased  the 
Florentines,  as  he  was  not  only  much  beloved,  but  a  native  of  their 
city.  He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy,  thirteen  years  after  he  was 
made  archbishop,  during  wliich  time  ho  was  distinguished  for  his 
"wisdom  and  holiness.  He  is  always  represented  as  an  archbishop, 
and  wears  the  pallium  over  the  habit  of  the  Dominicans.  May  10, 
A.  D.  1461. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  55 

St.  Antony  of  Padua  {Lat.  S.  Antonius  Thaumaturgus ; 
Ital.  Sant'  Antonio  di  Padova,  II  Santo ;  Sp.  San  Antonio  de  Padua, 
Sol  brillante  de  la  Iglesia,  Gloria  de  Portugal,  etc.).  This  saint  was 
a  Portuguese  by  birth.  He  became  a  Franciscan,  and  stands  in 
that  order  next  to  its  founder.  After  the  martyrdom  of  the  first 
missionaries  in  Morocco,  Antony  determined  to  be  himself  a  mis- 
sionary and  martyr,  and  went  to  convert  the  Moors.  But  he  was 
seized  with  an  illness  that  compelled  him  to  return  to  Europe.  He 
was  driven  by  the  winds  to  Italy,  and  came  to  Assisi,  where  St.  Francis 
was  holding  the  first  chapter  of  his  order.  St.  Francis  found  him  a 
valuable  assistant,  and  he  preached  at  the  universities  of  Padua,  Bo- 
logna, Paris,  and  Toulouse,  but  at  length  he  preached  to  the  people. 
He  did  much  good  in  Italy  as  a  preacher.  His  imagination  was  vivid, 
and  his  language  effective.  His  similes  were  very  beautiful.  He 
died  at  thirty-six,  after  a  ministry  of  ten  years.  Great  honors  have 
been  paid  his  memory,  and  the  church  of  Sant'  Antonio  at  Padua  is 
wonderfully  rich  in  adornments  of  both  ancient  and  modern  art.  He 
performed  many  miracles,  which  are  represented  in  pictures  in  various 
churches  and  convents,  especially  in  Italy  and  Spain.  One  of  these  is 
thus  related.  When  preaching  at  the  funeral  of  a  very  rich  man,  he 
denounced  his  Ipve  of  money,  and  exclaimed,  "His  heart  is  buried  in 
his  treasure-chest ;  go  seek  it  there,  and  you  will  find  it."  The 
friends  of  the  man  broke  open  the  chest,  and  to  their  surprise  found 
the  heart;  they  then  examined  his  body,  and  found  that  his  heart  was 
indeed  wanting.  His  attributes  are  the  lily  and  crucifix.  He  is  young, 
and  wears  the  habit  and  cord  of  St.  Francis.     June  13,  a.  d.  1231. 

St.  Apollinaris  of  Ravenna  {Ital.  Sant'  Apollinare ;  Fr.  St. 
ApoUinaire).  This  saint  came  with  the  Apostle  Peter  from  Antioch 
to  Rome;  and  Peter,  having  laid  hands  on  him,  sent  him  to  preach  in 
the  east  of  Italy.  He  became  the  first  Bishop  of  Ravenna,  and  per- 
formed such  miracles,  and  so  preached,  as  to  convert  multitudes.  At 
length  he  was  seized  and  imprisoned.  His  jailer  allowed  him  to  es- 
cape ;  but  his  enemies  pursued  him,  beat  him,  and  wounded  him  so 
that  he  died.  The  Basilica  of  Apollinaris-in-Classe  is  on  the  spot 
where  he  was  martyred.     July  23,  a.  d.  79. 

St.  Apollonia  of  Alexandria  {Fr.  Ste.  ApoUino).  The  parents 
of  Apollonia  were  heathens,  and  had  no  children,  though  they  con- 
stantly prayed  the  gods  to  grant  them  a  child.     Her  father  was  a 


66  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

magistrate.  At  length  there  came  three  pilgrims  to  Alexandria, 
begging  in  the  name  of  Jesus  and  the  Blessed  Virgin.  The  wife  of 
the  magistrate,  hearing  tliem,  asked  if  the  Virgin  could  grant  her 
prayer  for  a  child.  Being  told  of  her  great  power,  she  gave  the  pil- 
grims food  and  money,  and,  full  of  faith,  invoked  Mary's  intercession, 
who  answered  the  prayer  by  the  birth  of  Apollonia.  She  was  very 
beautiful ;  and  as  her  mother  constantly  told  her  the  story  of  her  birth, 
she  grew  up  a  Christian,  and  sought  St.  Leontine  that  he  might  baptize 
her.  As  soon  as  he  did  so,  an  angel  appeared  with  a  garment  daz- 
zlingly  white,  which  he  threw  over  her,  saying,  "This  is  Apollonia, 
the  servant  of  God  !  Go  now  to  Alexandria  and  announce  the  faith 
of  Christ."  She  obeyed,  and  converted  many;  but  others  accused  her 
to  her  father,  who  gave  her  to  the  heathen  governor.  He  commanded 
her  to  worship  the  idol  of  the  city.  But  she  made  the  sign  of  the 
cross  before  the  idol,  and  commanded  its  demon  to  depart.  The  de- 
mon broke  the  statue  and  fled,  crying,  "  The  holy  virgin  Apollonia 
drives  me  forth."  Then  they  bound  her  to  a  column,  and  drew  her 
teeth  out  one  by  one  with  pincers,  and  then,  kindling  a  fire,  they 
burned  her.  She  is  the  protector  against  toothache,  and  all  diseases 
of  the  teeth.  Her  attributes  are  a  pair  of  pincers  with  a  tooth,  and 
the  palm  ;  sometimes  a  golden  tooth  suspended  on  her  neck-chaio. 
February  9,  a.  d.  250. 

St.  Athanasius  {Gr.  "Ay.  *A0ava(rio<5 ;  Lat,  S.  Athanasius,  Pater 
OrthodoxiiC ;  Ital.  Sant'  Atanasio ;  Fr.  St.  Athanase).  This  saint, 
best  known  by  the  creed  which  bears  his  name,  was  an  xYlexandrian, 
and  a  pupil  of  St.  Anthony.  He  first  studied  science  and  litera- 
ture ;  and,  being  converted,  he  was  ordained  deacon.  His  oppo- 
sition to  Arius  at  the  Council  of  Nice  gained  for  him  the  title  of  the 
"  Father  of  Orthodoxy."  He  became  Bishop  of  Alexandria,  and  dur- 
ing the  great  heresy  of  his  age  materially  aided  by  his  perseverance 
in  the  victory  of  the  Catholic  Church.  He  was  bishop  forty-six 
years,  but  he  was  in  exile  during  twenty  years  of  that  time.  ^lay 
2,  A.D.  373. 

St.  Augustine,  or  St.  Austin  {Lat.  S.  Augustinus ;  Ital.  Sant' 
Agostino  ;  J'r.  St.  Augustin).  The  father  of  St.  Augustine  was  a 
heathen  ;  his  mother,  Monica,  was  a  Christian.  He  was  born  in 
Tagaste,  Xumidia.  In  his  youth  he  was  so  devoted  to  pleasure  that 
hia  mother  feared  the  destruction  of  his  character,  and  in  her  sorrow 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  57 

sought  advice  of  the  Bishop  of  Carthage.  He  comforted  her  with 
the  assurance  that  her  prayers  would  be  answered  at  last.  At  length 
Augustine  went  to  Rome,  and  became  famous  as  a  lawyer.  But  he 
was  restless  and  unhappy.  He  went  to  Milan,  and  was  there  con- 
verted by  the  preaching  of  St.  Ambrose,  who  baptized  him  in  the 
presence  of  his  mother.  The  "  Te  Deum,"  it  is  thought,  was  com- 
posed for  this  occasion.  St.  Augustine  and  St.  Ambrose  recited  it 
as  they  approached  the  altar.  He  was  Bishop  of  Hippo ;  and  after 
thirty-five  years  Hippo  was  besieged  by  the  Vandals,  and  St.  Augustine 
perished  at  the  age  of  seventy-five.  It  is  said  that  his  remains  were 
removed  to  Pavia.  He  was  the  third  doctor  of  the  Church,  and  his 
writings  are  celebrated.  One  of  the  scenes  in  his  life  most  fre- 
quently illustrated  in  art  is  that  of  a  vision,  related  by  himself,  and 
which  he  saw  while  writing  his  Discourse  on  the  Trinity.  He  was 
walking  on  the  sea-shore,  lost  in  meditation  on  his  great  theme,  when 
he  saw  a  little  child  bringing  water  and  endeavoring  to  fill  a  hole 
which  he  had  dug  in  the  sand.  Augustine  asked  him  the  motive  of 
his  labors.  The  child  said  he  intended  to  empty  all  the  water  of  the 
sea  into  this  cavity.  " Impossible,"  exclaimed  St.  Augustine.  "Not 
more  impossible,"  answered  the  child,  "  than  for  thee,  0  Augustine, 
to  explain  the  mystery  on  which  thou  art  now  meditating."  He  is 
the  patron  of  theologians  and  learned  men.     August  28,  a.  d.  430. 

St.  Augustine  of  Canterbury  is  believed  to  have  introduced  the 
Benedictine  Order  into  England.  He  was  sent  from  Rome  as  mission- 
ary to  Britain,  by  St.  Gregory.  Fearing  the  dangers  represented  to 
exist  in  England  at  that  time,  he  and  his  companions  were  seized  with 
dread,  and  Augustine  went  to  beg  the  pope  to  recall  his  command. 
This  Gregory  refused  to  do.  He  made  Augustine  bishop  over  those 
who  should  be  converted.  They  landed  in  Kent,  where  there  was 
great  hatred  of  Christianity  ;  but  Queen  Bertha  was  a  Christian,  and 
for  her  sake  King  Ethelbert  permitted  them  to  enter  Canterbury, 
which  they  did,  singing  praises,  and  carrying  the  image  of  Christ. 
Ethelbert  and  his  people  became  Christians,  and  were  baptized  in  a 
little  chapel  which  Bertha  had  built  near  Canterbury,  and,  being  a 
French  princess,  had  dedicated  to  Martin  of  Tours.  St.  Augustine 
desired  greatly  to  see  the  ancient  Britons,  Christians  whom  the  Eng- 
lish had  driven  into  the  mountain  regions  of  Wales,  reclaimed  from 
certain  abuses  which  had  crept  in  among  them.    He  also  wanted  their 


66  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

assistance  in  his  missionary  work  among  the  English.  But  the  Brit- 
ons' hatred  of  their  oppressors  sadly  obstructed  St.  Augustine's  pious 
and  pacific  wishes.  In  virtue  of  his  authority  as  Papal  Legate,  he 
visited  all  the  British  bishops  ;  and  these  willingly  responded  to  his 
invitation  to  a  conference  at  Ausric,  on  the  edge  of  Worcestershire, 
near  Herefordshire,  a  place  later  called  Augustine's  Oak.  Augus- 
tine required  of  them  aid  in  converting  the  pagan  English  ;  con- 
formity to  the  custom  of  the  Universal  Church  as  to  the  time  of 
celebrating  Easter,  and  as  to  the  manner  of  administering  baptism. 
These  things  they  refused,  because  of  their  hatred  of  their  national 
enemies.  Whereupon  St.  Augustine  prophesied  that  "if  they  would 
not  preach  to  the  English  the  way  of  life,  they  would  fall  by  their 
hands  under  the  judgment  of  death."  This  prediction  was  ful- 
filled after  the  death  of  St.  Augustine,  when  Ethilfrid,  king  of  the 
pagan  Northern  English,  mightily  overthrew  the  Britons  at  Chester, 
and  slew  twenty-two  hundred  of  the  British  monks  of  Bangor,  who 
prayed  in  sight  of  the  battle-field  for  the  victory  of  their  countrymen. 
Those  who  account  St.  Augustine  instigator  of  this  massacre,  which 
took  place  years  after  his  death,  know  not  his  tender  charit}^  whose 
only  weapons  against  sinners  w^ere  prayers  for  their  conversion.  He 
should  be  represented  in  the  Benedictine  habit,  with  the  staff  and  the 
Gospel,  or  as  bishop  with  pallium,  cope,  and  mitre,     a.  d.  604. 

St.  Balbina  was  the  daughter  of  the  prefect  Quirinus,  and  dis- 
covered the  lost  chains  of  St.  Peter.  The  church  dedicated  to  her 
at  Rome  is  very  ancient.  She  is  represented  veiled,  with  chains  in 
her  hand  or  near  her. 

St.  Barbara  (Ttal.  Santa  Barbara ;  Fr.  Ste.  Barbe).  This 
saint  was  of  the  East,  and  daughter  of  Dioscorus,  who  dwelt  in  Heli- 
opolis.  He  was  rich  and  noble,  and  loved  his  only  daughter  so  fondly 
that  he  shut  her  up  in  a  high  tower  lest  she  should  attract  suitors 
by  her  beauty.  Here  she  passed  her  time  in  study,  and  while  watch- 
ing the  wonders  and  beauties  of  the  heavens,  felt  that  the  idols  could 
not  be  gods,  or  the  creators  of  the  world.  But  she  had  heard  of  no 
other  God.  At  length  the  fame  of  Origen  reached  her  from  Alexan- 
dria, and  she  sent  him  a  letter  by  a  trusty  servant,  asking  that  he 
should  teach  her.  He  sent  a  disciple  disguised  as  a  physician,  who 
instructed  her,  and,  after  her  conversion,  baptized  her.  Her  father 
had  set  workmen  to  make  a  bathroom  in  her  tower ;  and  when  they 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  69 

had  made  two  windows,  she  desired  them  to  add  another.  They 
were  afraid  to  do  this,  but  she  insisted ;  and  w^hen  her  father  asked 
the  cause,  she  said,  "  Know,  my  father,  that  through  three  windows 
doth  the  soul  receive  light,  —  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  ;  and  the  three  are  one."  Then  her  father  would  have  killed 
her  with  his  sword  ;  but  she  fled  to  the  top  of  the  tower,  and  angels 
concealed  her  and  bore  her  away  to  a  place  of  safety.  A  shepherd 
betrayed  where  she  was  hidden,  and  her  father  dragged  her  by  the 
hair  and  put  her  in  a  dungeon.  He  then  delivered  her  to  the  pro- 
consul Marcian,  who  scourged  and  tortured  her,  but  she  did  not 
yield  ;  and  at  last  her  father  carried  her  to  a  mountain  near  the  city, 
and  himself  beheaded  her.  Immediately  a  great  tempest  arose,  and 
the  lightning  entirely  consumed  the  father.  St.  Barbara  is  the 
patroness  of  Ferrara,  Mantua,  and  Guastala ;  also  of  fortifications 
and  fire-arms,  as  well  as  of  armorers  and  gunsmiths.  She  is  also 
invoked  as  a  protector  against  lightning  and  the  explosions  of 
gunpowder.  A  tower  with  three  windows  is  her  peculiar  attribute. 
She  also  has  the  book,  palm,  and  sword.  She  is  further  invoked  by 
all  who  desire  the  sacraments  of  the  Church  in  their  dying  hours. 
December  4,  a.  d.  303. 

St.  Barnabas  {Ital.  San  Barnaba ;  Fr.  St.  Barnabe).  The 
name  of  Apostle  is  also  given  this  saint ;  and  if  not  fully  entitled 
to  it,  he  is  at  least  next  in  holiness  to  the  Apostles  with  whom  he 
labored.  He  was  a  native  of  Cyprus,  —  a  Levite,  and  a  cousin  of 
St.  Mark.  He  labored  with  Paul  at  Antioch  and  Lystra ;  and  the 
legends  tell  us  that  he  was  of  so  noble  a  presence  that  he  was  called 
Jupiter,  while  Paul  was  styled  Mercurius.  At  length,  on  account  of 
aMifference  concerning  Mark,  they  separated ;  and  Barnabas  preached 
in  Italy  as  well  as  in  Asia  Minor  and  Greece,  and  it  is  said  he  was 
the  first  Bishop  of  Milan.  Tradition  says  he  preached  from  the 
Gospel  of  St.  Matthew,  written  by  the  Evangelist  himself,  which  he 
carried  always  with  him,  and  that  it  had  power  to  heal  the  sick 
when  laid  upon  their  bosoms.  He  was  at  last  seized  by  the  Jews 
and  cruelly  martyred,  while  preaching  in  Jud?ea.  Mark  and  other 
Christians  buried  him,  and  in  the  time  of  the  Emperor  Zeno  his 
resting-place  was  revealed  in  a  vision  to  Antemius.  He  was  found 
with  the  Gospel  in  his  bosom.  This  was  taken  to  Constantinople, 
and  a  church  was  built  under  the  invocation  of  the  saint.     June  11. 


60  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

St.  Bartholomew  {Lat.  S.  Bartholoineus ;  Ital.  San  Bartolomeo; 
Ft.  8t.  liartliclemi).  The  origin  of  this  saint  is  doubtful,  it  being 
disputed  whether  he  were  the  son  of  a  prince,  Ptolomeus,  or  of  a 
hushiindman.  After  the  ascension  of  our  Lord,  he  travelled  through 
India,  carrying  the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew.  He  preaclied  in  Armenia 
and  CiHcia.  He  suffered  a  horrible  death  at  Albanopolis,  being  first 
flayed,  and  then  crucitied.  His  attribute  is  a  large  knife.  Some- 
times lie  has  his  own  skin  hanging  over  his  arm.     August  24. 

St.  Basil  the  Great  (6V.  "Ay.  /Jao-iAeios ;  Lot.  S.  Basilius  Magnus ; 
ItaL  Sun  Basilio  Magno ;  Fr.  St.  Basile).  This  saint  is  the  second 
in  honor  in  the  Greek  Church,  as  well  as  the  founder  of  the  Basilians, 
almost  the  only  monastic  order  known  in  that  church  ;  for  the  Order 
of  St.  Anthou}'  has  but  a  few  houses  at  Sinai  and  Lebanon,  and  by 
the  shores  of  the  lied  Sea.  He  was  born  at  Csesarea,  in  Cappadocia, 
in  328,  and  was  of  a  family  of  great  sanctity,  —  his  grandmother, 
father,  mother,  two  brothers,  and  a  sister  all  being  saints.  He  wrote 
many  theological  works.  He  attributes  his  early  education  to  his 
grandmother,  St.  Macrina.  He  studied  at  Constantinople  and  at 
Athens,  where  he  was  associated  with  both  St.  Gregory  of  Nazianzen 
and  with  Julian,  afterwards  the  Apostate.  His  great  talents  at  one 
time  so  aroused  his  pride  that  but  for  the  influence  of  St.  Macrina, 
his  sister,  he  would  have  perilled  his  salvation.  He  was  then  about 
twenty-eight,  and  after  this  gave  himself  entirely  to  religion,  —  pass- 
ing some  years  in  the  desert  as  a  hermit,  where  he  lost  his  health, 
from  the  austerity  of  his  living.  He  was  made  a  priest  in  362,  and 
eight  years  after  Bishop  of  Cicsarea.  The  14th  of  June,  the  day  of 
his  ordination,  is  a  great  feast  in  the  Greek  Church.  He  lived  with 
the  same  abstinence  on  the  throne  as  in  the  desert.  He  vigorously 
opposed  the  Arian  heresy ;  and  when  the  Emperor  Valcns  required 
him  to  communicate  religiously  with  the  Arians,  he  refused.  The 
emperor  threatened  him,  even  with  death,  without  effect.  At  length 
he  thought  to  awe  Basil  by  coming  to  church  in  great  state,  with  all 
his  court  and  soldiers.  It  was  on  the  day  of  the  E[)iphrtny.  Instead 
of  overawing  the  saint,  he  was  himself  overawed  by  the  piety  of  the 
congregation  and  the  angelic  devotion  of  the  great  bishop.  The  em- 
peror afterwards  conferred  with  Basil ;  and  though  he  remained  un- 
converted, he  made  some  concessions  to  the  Catholics.  It  is  related 
of  Basil,  as  of  two  other  saints,  that  while  he  preached,  the  Holy 


ILLUSTRATED  TN  ART.  61 

Ghost,  in  the  form  of  a  white  dove,  rested  on  his  shoulder,  to  inspire 
his  words.     June  14,  a.  d.  380. 

St.  Bavon  (Flem.  St.  Bavo,  or  St.  Baf ;  Ital.  San  Bavone).  He 
was  born  a  noble-man  ;  some  authorities  claim,  Duke  of  Brabant.  He 
was  converted  from  idolatry  by  St.  Amand  of  Belgium,  first  Bishop 
of  Maestricht.  Bavon  was  then  nearly  fifty  years  old,  a  widower,  and 
had  led  a  dissipated  life.  He  gave  all  his  riches  in  charitj'-,  and  was 
placed  by  St.  Amand  in  a  monastery  in  Ghent ;  but  he  left  that,  and 
lived  a  hermit  in  the  forest  of  Malmedun.  His  shelter  was  a  hollow 
tree,  and  he  subsisted  on  herbs.  It  is  related  of  him,  that  after 
becoming  a  Christian  he  met  one  who  had  been  his  slave  and  cruelly 
treated.  Bavon  besought  him  to  bind  and  beat  him,  and  cast  him 
in  prison,  as  he  had  formerly  done  to  him.  This  was  of  course  re- 
fused ;  but  the  saint  so  insisted  that  finally  it  was  done,  and  while 
in  prison  he  passed  his  time  in  doing  penance  for  his  former  sins. 
He  is  the  patron  of  Ghent  and  Haerlem.  His  attribute  is  a  falcon; 
he  is  sometimes  represented  as  a  hermit,  and  sometimes  in  his  ducal 
robes.     October  1,  a.  d.  657. 

St.  Bede  the  Venerable  was  born  at  Jarrow,  in  Northumber- 
land, in  673.  He  was  eminent  for  his  learning  and  piety,  and  some 
even  thought  him  superior  in  eloquence  to  St.  Gregory.  He  died 
dictating  the  last  words  of  a  translation  of  the  Gospel  of  St.  John. 
He  was  called  *'  the  Venerable,"  and  was  known  by  this  name  at  a 
Council  at  Aix-la-Chapelle.  There  is  a  legendary  account  of  the  way 
in  which  he  received  this  title.  It  says  that,  his  scholars  wishing  to 
put  an  inscription  on  his  tombstone,  one  of  them  wrote  :  — 

"  Hac  sunt  in  fossa 
Bedse  ossa," 

leaving  the  blank  as  above,  because  no  suitable  word  occurred  to  him. 
He  fell  asleep  thinking  of  it ;  and  when  he  awoke,  "  venerabilis  "  had 
been  inserted  by  an  angel's  band.  There  are  other  ways  of  account- 
ing for  the  title,  but  this  is  the  favorite  one.  Bede's  works  are  extant, 
and  his  "  Ecclesiastial  History  "  is  the  only  authentic  record  we  have 
of  the  early  English  Church.     May  27,  a.  d.  735. 

Bel  and  the  Dragon.  "When  Cyrus  was  King  of  Babylon,  and 
Daniel  was  his  friend,  and  gi'eatly  honored  by  him,  the  Babylonians 
had  an  idol  called  Bel,  to  whom  were  given  every  day  "  twelve  great 
measures  of  fine  flour,  and  forty  sheep,  and  six  vessels  of  wine."   And 


62  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

the  number  of  the  priests  who  attended  him  were  threescore  and  ten, 
and  they  had  wives  and  children.  Now  Cyrus  worshipped  Bel,  but 
Daniel  worshipped  his  own  God ;  and  when  Cyrus  demanded  the 
reason  of  this,  Daniel  replied  that  he  could  not  "  worship  idols  made 
with  hands,  but  the  living  God,"  who  had  created  all  men  and  the 
world  in  which  they  lived.  Then  Cyrus  asked  Daniel  if  Bel  were  not 
living,  and  reminded  him  of  how  much  he  ate  and  drank  every  day. 
Then  said  Daniel,  "  0  king,  be  not  deceived ;  for  this  is  but  clay 
within  and  brass  without,  and  did  never  eat  nor  drink  anything."  So 
the  king  was  wroth,  and  said  to  the  priests,  **  If  ye  tell  me  not  who 
this  is  that  devoureth  these  expenses,  ye  shall  die.  But  if  ye  can 
certify  me  that  Bel  devoureth  them,  then  Daniel  shall  die :  for  he 
hath  spoken  blasphemy  against  Bel."  And  Daniel  replied,  "  Let  it 
be  according  to  thy  word."  Then  the  priests  said  to  the  king,  "Lo 
we  go  out,  but  thou,  0  king,  set  on  the  meat,  and  make  ready  the 
wine,  and  shut  the  door  fast,  and  seal  it  with  thine  own  signet ;  and 
to-morrow  when  thou  comest  in,  if  thou  findest  not  that  Bel  hath 
eaten  up  all,  we  will  suffer  death ;  or  else  Daniel,  that  speaketh 
falsely  against  us."  Now  they  did  this  because  they  had  an  entrance 
which  was  hidden  under  the  table,  and  by  that  they  could  go  out 
and  in  as  they  liked.  Then  the  king  set  the  food  before  Bel,  as  the 
priests  had  said  ;  and  Daniel  commanded  the  servants  to  bring  ashes, 
and  he  strewed  them  upon  the  floor ;  and  when  all  was  ready  they 
closed  the  temple,  and  the  king  sealed  it  with  his  own  seal.  Then  in 
the  night  the  priests  came  with  their  wives  and  children,  as  they 
were  accustomed  to  do,  and  consumed  all  that  had  been  provided. 
Now  in  the  morning  the  king  came  with  Daniel,  and  they  found  the 
seals  whole,  and  they  broke  them  and  went  in.  And  when  the  king 
saw  that  the  food  was  gone,  he  cried  out,  *'  Great  art  thou,  0  Bel,  and 
with  thee  is  no  deceit  at  all ! "  Then  Daniel  laughed,  and  said  to  the 
king,  "Behold  now  the  pavement,  and  mark  well  whose  footsteps  are 
these,"  So  when  the  king  saw  the  footsteps  of  men,  women,  and 
children,  he  was  angry,  and  took  the  priests  with  their  wives  and 
children,  and  these  showed  him  the  door  where  they  had  gone  in  and 
out.  Then  the  king  slew  them,  and  gave  the  idol  Bel  to  Daniel,  and 
he  destroyed  both  the  god  and  his  temple.  Now  in  the  same  place 
was  a  great  dragon,  which  was  also  worshij)j)ed  by  tlio  Babylonians; 
and  the  king  said  to  Daniel,  ''  Wilt  thou  also  say  tliat  this  is  of  brass  1 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  63 

Lo,  he  livethj  he  eateth  and  drinketh  :  thou  canst  not  say  that  he  is 
no  living  God  ;  therefore,  worship  him."  But  Daniel  declared  that  he 
would  not  worship  him,  and  that  he  could  slay  him  without  sword  or 
stave.  And  the  king  gave  him  leave.  Then  Daniel  took  pitch  and 
fat  and  hair,  and  made  lumps  of  it,  and  put  them  in  the  dragon's 
mouth,  until  he  burst  asunder.  Then  the  people  were  filled  with 
indignation,  and  they  came  to  the  king,  and  demanded  that  he  should 
deliver  Daniel  to  them,  or  they  would  destroy  him  and  his  house. 
Then  the  king,  being  sore  pressed,  gave  up  Daniel,  and  they  threw 
him  into  the  lions'  den,  where  he  remained  six  days.  Now  there 
were  seven  lions  in  the  den,  and  each  day  they  had  given  them  two 
carcasses  and  two  sheep,  but  now  they  gave  them  nothing,  so  that 
they  might  devour  Daniel.  There  was  in  Judsea  a  prophet  whose 
name  was  Habakkuk ;  and  he  had  made  him  a  mess  of  pottage,  and 
had  put  bread  in  a  bowl,  and  was  about  to  give  it  to  the  reapers  in 
the  field  ;  but  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came  to  him,  and  commanded 
that  he  should  carry  it  to  Babylon,  and  give  it  to  Daniel,  who  was  in 
the  lions'  den.  Tlien  Habakkuk  said,  "  Lord,  I  never  saw  Babylon  ; 
neither  do  I  know  where  the  den  is."  Then  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
took  Habakkuk  by  the  hair  of  his  head,  and  set  him  in  Babylon  over 
the  lions'  den ;  and  Habakkuk  cried,  saying,  "  0  Daniel,  Daniel, 
take  the  dinner  which  God  hath  sent  thee."  Then  Daniel  thanked 
God  that  he  had  not  left  him  to  perish,  and  arose,  and  ate  the  food 
which  the  prophet  had  brought,  and  the  angel  set  Habakkuk  again  in 
his  own  place.  Now,  upon  the  seventh  day,  the  king  came  to  the  den 
to  bewail  Daniel,  and  he  found  him  alive.  Then  cried  the  king,  "  Great 
art  thou,  0  Lord  God  of  Daniel,  and  there  is  none  other  beside  thee." 
Then  he  took  Daniel  out  of  the  den,  and  cast  in  those  who  had 
accused  him,  and  they  were  devoured  in  a  moment,  before  his  face. 

St.  Benedict  {Hal.  San  Benedetto;  Fr.  St.  Benoit ;  Sp.  San 
Benito).  This  saint  was  the  founder,  the  patriarch,  and  the  first 
abbot  of  the  great  order  of  the  Benedictines.  He  was  of  noble  birth, 
and  a  native  of  Norcia,  in  the  duchy  of  Spoleto.  He  studied  at 
Rome,  but  soon  wearied  of  the  profligacy  of  those  about  him  ;  and 
imbibing  the  ideas  of  St.  Jerome  and  St.  Augustine  in  favor  of  soli- 
tude^ at  fifteen  he  became  a  hermit.  His  nurse,  who  loved  him 
extremely,  followed  him  into  his  retirement,  and  ministered  as  much 
as  possible  to  his  comfort.     But  he,  regarding  this  as  a  drawback  to 


G4  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

perfect  holiness,  fled  from  her  to  Subiaco,  a  wilderness  forty  miles 
from  Rome.     Here  he  lived  for  three  years,  entirely  unknown,  except 
to  Romano,   another  hermit,  who  shared  with  him  his   bread   and 
water.      Here  he   was  greatly   tempted  by  the  recollections  of  the 
world  he  had  left,  and  especially,  at  one  time,  by  the  remembrance  of 
a  beautiful  woman  he  had  seen  at  Rome,  when,  to  overcome  his  great 
desire  to  return  to  her,  he  flung  himself  into  a  thicket  of  briers  and 
thorns,  and  rolled  himself  therein  until  he  was  torn  and  bleeding. 
At  tlie  monastery  of  Subiaco  they  show  roses,  said  to  have  been  pro- 
pagated from  these  briers.     The  fame  of  his  sanctity  at  last  brought 
great  crowds  to  him,  who  begged  his  prayers,  and  that  he  would  heal 
their  diseases ;  and  a  company  of  hermits  near  by  requested  that  he 
would  be  their  head.     But  when  they  saw  the  severity  of  his  life, 
they  attempted  to  poison  him.     When  he  made  the  sign  of  the  cross 
before  the  poisoned  cup,  it  fell  to  the  ground  in  fragments.     He  then 
returned  to  his  cave  and  again  dwelt  alone.     But  so  many  hermits 
came  to  Subiaco  and  lived  in  huts  and  caves,  that  at  length,  for  the 
sake  of  order,  Benedict  commanded  them  to  build  twelve  monasteries, 
and  he  placed  twelve  monks  in  each.     Two  senators  of  Rome  brought 
to  him  their  sons,  Maurus  and  Placidus,  to  be  educated  as  Christians. 
They  were  but  twelve  and  five  years  of  age,  and  they  became  the 
special  charge  of  Benedict.     But  Satan,  much  troubled  at  all  this, 
put  it  into  the  heart  of  a  priest,  Florentius,  to  traduce  the  character 
of  St.  Benedict,  and  to  poison  him  with  a  loaf  of  bread.     These  plans 
ftxiling,  he  at  last  brought  seven  young  women  into  one  of  the  monas- 
teries to  try  the  chastity  of  the  monks.     Then  Benedict  left  Subiaco, 
and  immediately  Florentius  was  crushed  to  death  beneath  a  falling 
gallery  in  his  own  house,     Benedict  even  wept  for  his  fate,  and  im- 
posed a  penance  on  Maurus  when  he  rejoiced  at  it.     There  still  re- 
mained at  this  time,  on  Monte  Cassino,  a  temple  of  Apollo.     Thither 
Benedict  went,   and   by   his  miracles  and    ])reaching  converted   the 
idolaters,  so  that  they  broke  the  statue  and  altar,  and  burnt  the 
grove.     The  saint  then  built  up  two  chapels,  and  dedicated  them  to 
St.  John  the  Baptist  and  St.  Martin  of  Tours.    On  the  summit  of  this 
mountain  he  founded  the  monastery  which  has  always  been  regarded 
as  tlje  parent  of  all  otiiers  of  the  Benedictine  Order.      Hence   he 
])roinulgated  the  rules  of  his  order.     His  sister  Scholastica  followed 
him  to  Monte  Cassino,  and  he  visited  her  once  a  year  during  the  last 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  65 

years  of  his  life.  In  540  Totila,  King  of  the  Goths,  visited  Benedict, 
and  entreated  his  blessing.  The  saint  reproved  him  for  his  past  life, 
and  it  was  tliought  that  after  this  the  Goth  was  less  ferocious.  Be- 
fore his  death  monasteries  of  his  order  were  instituted  in  all  parts  of 
Europe.  He  was  at  last  seized  with  fever,  and  on  the  sixth  day  he 
ordered  his  grave  to  be  dug,  and  after  standing  upon  the  edge  of  it, 
supported  by  his  disciples,  and  in  silent  contemplation,  he  was  borne 
to  the  altar  of  the  church,  and  receiving  the  last  sacraments  there 
died.     March  21,  a.  d.  543. 

St.  Benedict  of  Anian  (Fr.  St.  Benoit  d'Aniane).  This  saint 
was  page  and  cup-bearer  at  the  court  of  Pepin-le-Bref,  and  a  distin- 
guished commander  in  the  army  of  Charlemagne.  He  was  born  at 
Maguelonne,  in  Languedoc,  and  his  original  name  is  unknown.  He 
had  an  extremely  narrow  escape  from  drowning,  after  which  he  en- 
tered on  a  religious  life.  He  w^ent  first  to  the  abbey  of  St.  Seine ;  but 
disapproving  of  the  habits  of  the  monks,  he  dwelt  a  hermit  on  the 
banks  of  the  Anian.  At  length,  a  number  of  hermits  having  joined 
him,  he  founded  a  Benedictine  monastery,  with  great  severity  of  rule. 
He  was  called  to  Aix-la-Chapelle  by  Louis-le-Debonnaire.  Here  he 
founded  another  monastery.  He  presided  at  a  council  for  the  refor- 
mation of  the  monastic  orders.  William,  Duke  of  Aquitaine,  was  a 
great  warrior,  and  had  vanquished  the  Saracens  in  the  south  of 
France.  He  was  converted  by  St.  Benedict,  and  built  a  monastery, 
in  which  he  lived  and  died  a  monk.  St.  Benedict  conferred  upon 
William  the  monk's  habit.     February  12,  a.  d.  821. 

Benedict,  Bennet  Biscop,  or  St.  Bennet  of  Wearmouth, 
did  much  for  art  as  well  as  for  piety  in  England.  He  was  of  a  noble 
Northumbrian  family.  He  founded  the  monasteries  of  St.  Peter's  at 
Wearmouth  and  St.  Paul's  at  Jarrow.  He  had  a  cultivated  taste, 
and  went  five  times  to  France  and  Italy.  He  brought  to  England 
stone-warkers  and  glaziers  to  introduce  a  new  style  of  building.  He 
brought,  too,  many  books  and  pictures,  and  also  a  certain  John, 
Abbot  of  San  Martino,  who  was  a  teacher  of  music,  and  who  intro- 
duced chanting  into  English  cathedrals.  St.  Bennet  wrote  many 
books  of  instruction  for  monks,  and  died  at  an  advanced  age,  cele- 
brated for  piety  and  munificence.     January  12,  a.  d.  703. 

St.  Benno  is  noted  especially  for  his  connection  with  the  Em- 
peror Henry  lY.      He  was  a  German  Benedictine,  and  Bishop  of 

6 


66  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

Meissen;  and  when  Henry,  after  being  excommunicated,  attempted 
to  enter  the  cathedral,  Benno  locked  the  doors  and  threw  the  key 
into  the  river  Elbe.  He  then  went  to  Rome.  On  his  return  to  Meis- 
sen, he  ordered  a  fisherman  to  cast  his  net  into  the  river,  and  a 
fish  was  taken,  in  which  was  found  the  key.  His  proper  attribute  is 
a  fish  with  a  key  in  its  mouth. 

St.  Bernard  of  Clairvaux  (Lat.  S.  Bernardus,  Doctor  melli- 
fluus ;  Ital.  San  Bernardo  di  Chiaravalle,  Abbate ;  Ger.  Der  Heilige 
Bernhard  ;  Fr.  St.  Bernard)  was  a  man  of  great  power  and  impor- 
tance. He  was  born  in  1190,  at  Fontaine,  near  Dijon.  He  was  the 
son  of  a  noble ;  and  his  mother,  Alice,  was  a  remarkable  woman. 
She  had  a  large  number  of  children,  all  of  whom  she  nursed  at  her 
own  breast,  as  she  believed  that  infants  imbibe  with  the  milk  the 
temperament  of  the  nurse.  According  to  all  authorities  she  gave 
her  son  his  early  education.  From  the  age  of  fifteen  he  practised 
great  self-denial,  and  from  it  his  health  suffered.  He  had  great  per- 
sonal beauty.  After  studying  at  the  University  of  Paris,  he  entered, 
at  twenty,  the  Benedictine  monastery  of  Citeaux.  He  resisted  all 
temptations  ;  and  it  is  related  of  him  that,  finding  himself  gazing  on 
a  beautiful  woman  with  a  feeling  of  pleasure,  he  rushed  into  a  half- 
frozen  pool  and  remained  there  until  nearly  frozen  himself.  The 
abbey  of  Citeaux  became  so  crowded  that  Bernard  was  sent  at 
twenty-five  to  found  another  monastery.  He  went  with  twelve  com- 
panions to  what  was  then  called  the  "  Valley  of  Wormwood,"  and 
there  founded  the  abbey  of  Clairvaux.  In  a  few  years  Bernard 
became  famous,  and  his  abbey  very  much  crowded.  He  was  con- 
sidered an  authority  in  matters  of  law  as  well  as  of  religion.  He 
was  judge  between  Anacletus  and  Innocent  II.,  deciding  in  favor  of 
tlic  latter,  to  the  satisfiiction  of  the  whole  Church.  He  also  reconciled 
the  disputes  between  the  clergy  of  Milan  and  Rome.  He  preached 
a  second  Crusade,  succeeded  in  rousing  the  people  to  great  enthu- 
siasm, and  was  invited  to  assume  the  command.  He  was  also  the 
adversary  of  Abelard  and  Arnold  de  Brescia.  St.  Bernard  is  one  of 
tlie  Fathers  of  the  Church.  In  his  writings  he  sets  forth  with  great 
power  the  perfections  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  especially  in  the  "  Missus 
Est ;  "  and  it  was  believed  that  she  a])pearod  to  him  twice  :  once,  when 
ill  and  unable  to  write,  she  restored  him  by  her  presence ;  and  again 
she  moistened  his  lips  with  the  milk  of  her  bosom,   so  that   his 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  67 

eloquence  was  irresistible.  His  health  suffered  greatly  from  his  labors 
and  fasts,  and  he  died  at  sixty-three.  His  attributes  are  the  demon 
fettered  behind  him ;  three  mitres  on  his  book  or  at  his  feet,  emblems 
of  three  bishoprics  which  he  refused ;  the  beehive,  a  symbol  of  elo- 
quence. The  mitre  and  crosier,  as  Abbot  of  Clairvaux,  are  given  him 
but  rarely.     August  20,  a.  d.  1153. 

St.  Bernard  of  Menthon  was  by  birth  a  noble  Savoyard.  In 
his  youth  he  was  serious  and  studious,  showing  such  traits  of  charac- 
ter as  indicated  a  religious  vocation.  His  father  wished  him  to  marry ; 
but  he  preferred  to  study,  and  put  himself  under  the  teaching  of 
Peter,  Archdeacon  of  Aoust.  In  966  Bernard  was  made  archdeacon, 
which  was  at  that  time  a  responsible  and  laborious  office,  as  its  duties 
comprised  the  whole  government  of  the  diocese.  By  great  devotion 
and  constant  preaching  for  forty-two  years,  he  did  much  good  in  the 
dioceses  of  Aoust,  Sion,  Geneva,  Tarantaise,  Milan,  and  Novara.  He 
destroyed  an  idol  on  a  mountain  in  the  Walais,  and  exposed  the 
deception  of  the  heathen  priests.  He  founded  two  roads  and  two 
monastic  hospitals,  the  Great  and  Little  St.  Bernard,  the  former  of 
which  was  near  the  site  of  the  heathen  idol  before  spoken  of.  At  these 
hospitals  the  monks,  assisted  by  their  dogs,  search  out  and  care  for 
travellers  who  are  lost  in  the  passes  of  the  mountains,  where  the 
storms  are  severe  and  the  cold  intense.  St.  Bernard  died  at  Xovara, 
at  eighty-five  years  of  age.  His  body  is  in  the  monastery  at  Novara, 
and  his  head  is  shown  in  a  rich  case  at  the  monastery  of  Monte-Joye, 
in  the  diocese  of  Aoust.     May  28,  a.  d.  1008. 

St.  Bernardino  da  Feltri  shares  the  honor  of  having  founded 
the  "  Monts-de-Piete."  He  was  a  most  eloquent  man,  and  preached 
at  the  church  of  Santa  Croce  in  Florence,  against  Jews  and  usurers, 
and  on  the  necessity  that  the  poor  should  be  protected  from  them. 
It  is  certain  that  the  two  Bernardinos  labored  in  this  matter,  but  not 
easy  to  decide  to  which  belongs  the  greater  honor. 

St.  Bernard  Ptolomei  {Ital.  San  Bernardo  dei  Tolomei).  He 
was  of  an  illustrious  family  of  Siena ;  born  in  1272.  He  distinguished 
himself  as  a  lawyer ;  but  at  length,  seized  with  the  religious  passion 
of  the  age,  he  went  into  a  mountain,  called  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
about  ten  miles  from  Siena.  Here  he  formed  the  order  called  "  Oli- 
vetani."  They  followed  the  Eule  of  St.  Benedict,  and  wore  a  white 
habit.     August  21,  a.d.  1348. 


68  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

St.  Bernardino  of  Siena.  This  saint  was  of  the  family  of 
Albizeschi.  He  was  bom  at  Massa,  a  Sienese  town,  in  1380,  His 
mother  dying,  he  was  educated  by  an  aunt,  whose  influence  devel- 
oped not  only  his  talents,  but  great  purity  of  character  also.  At 
seventeen  he  joined  a  brotherhood  whose  members  wore  devoted  to 
the  service  of  the  hospitals.  A  pestilence  soon  broke  out,  which 
destroyed  great  numbers,  and  among  them  physicians  and  priests. 
For  four  months  Bernardino  with  twelve  others  cared  for  the  inmates 
of  the  plague  hospital.  His  health  suffered  greatly  from  his  labor. 
He  became  a  Franciscan  at  twenty-three.  He  was  a  celebrated 
preacher,  and  went  all  over  Italy.  He  endeavored  to  reconcile  the 
Guelphs  and  Ghibellines.  He  was  offered  three  bishoprics,  which 
he  refused.  The  Duke  of  Milan,  offended  at  his  preaching,  threat- 
ened him  in  vain  ;  he  then  sent  him  money,  with  which  he  went  to 
the  prisons  and  liberated  poor  debtors.  He  founded  the  order  called 
in  Italy  "  Osservanti,"  and  in  France  "  Freres  de  I'Observance,"  be- 
cause they  observe  strictly  the  Rule  of  St.  Francis,  going  barefoot  and 
keeping  strictly  the  vow  of  poverty.  AVheu  preaching,  he  held  in 
his  hand  a  tablet  on  which  was  the  name  of  Jesus  in  a  circle  of  golden 
rays.  A  man  who  had  lived  by  making  cards  and  dice  complained  to 
the  saint  that  on  account  of  the  reforms  in  religion,  his  occupation 
was  gone.  Bernardino  advised  him  to  carve  tablets  like  his,  to  sell 
to  the  people.  He  did  so ;  and  a  peculiar  blessing  being  attached 
to  them,  he  sold  large  numbers,  and  made  a  fortune  in  this  way. 
St.  Bernardino  is  said  to  have  founded  those  institutions  called  still 
in  France  "  Monts-de-Pietd,"  where  money  is  loaned  on  pledges.  In 
the  commencement  they  were  entirely  charitable  and  for  the  benefit 
of  the  poor.  He  died  at  Aquila,  in  the  Abruzzi,  where  his  remains 
are  preserved  in  a  silver  shrine  in  the  church  of  San  Francisco. 
May  20,  a.  d.  1444. 

St.  Bibiana  was  a  Roman  lady,  who,  together  with  her  father, 
mother,  and  sister,  suffered  martyrdom  in  the  reign  of  Julian  the 
Apostate.  She  was  scourged  and  then  pierced  with  a  dagger.  The 
church  dedicated  to  her  is  between  the  Santa  Croce  and  the  Porte 
Maggiore.  The  column  to  which  she  was  bound  is  shown  within  the 
churc;h.     December  2,  a.  i>.  3G2. 

St.  Blaise  of  Sebaste  {Gr.  "Ay.  BXato-os ;  Ital.  San  Biagio ; 
.Fr.  St.  Blaise;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Blasius  :  signification,  "crooked"). 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  69 

This  holy  man  was  bishop  over  the  Christians  at  Sebaste,  in  Cappa- 
docia,  and  in  the  time  when  Agricolaus  was  governor,  was  obhged  to 
flee  to  the  mountains  to  escape  persecution.  There  were  great  num- 
bers of  wild  beasts  there,  but  instead  of  harming  the  saint,  they  came 
to  him  in  numbers  every  morning  to  receive  his  blessing ;  and  when 
Agricolaus  sent  to  obtain  beasts  for  the  amphitheatres,  the  hunters 
found  St.  Blaise  surrounded  with  them.  He  nursed  the  sick  ones, 
reproved  the  ferocious,  and  gave  his  benediction  to  all.  The  hunters, 
amazed  at  this,  seized  him  and  took  him  to  the  governor.  As  they 
went,  they  met  a  woman  whose  child  was  choking  from  a  bone  stuck 
in  its  throat.  The  mother  cried  out,  "  0  servant  of  Christ,  have  mercy 
on  me  !  "  He  laid  his  hand  on  the  throat  of  the  child  and  prayed,  and 
it  was  healed.  Again,  they  met  a  woman  whose  pig  had  been  carried 
off  by  a  wolf;  and  as  it  was  all  she  had  of  worldly  goods,  she  was  in 
much  distress.  St.  Blaise  commanded  the  wolf  to  bring  back  the 
pig  unharmed,  which  was  done.  The  governor  sentenced  him  to  be 
scourged  and  imprisoned  without  food ;  but  the  poor  woman  had 
killed  her  pig,  and  brought  a  part,  with  bread  and  fruit,  to  the  holy 
man.  A  second  time  the  governor  tortured  him  by  tearing  his  flesh 
with  iron  combs,  such  as  are  used  to  card  wool  ;  when,  as  he  still 
remained  firm  in  his  faith,  he  was  beheaded.  He  is  the  patron  of 
Ragusa,  also  the  patron  of  wool-combers,  of  those  who  suffer  from 
throat  diseases,  and  of  wild  animals.  He  is  a  popular  saint  in  France 
and  England,  and  especially  in  Yorkshire,  where  once  in  seven  years 
a  festival  is  held  in  his  honor.  The  iron  wool-comb  is  his  proper 
attribute.     February  3,  a.  d.  ^16. 

St.  Bonaventura  was  the  great  prelate  of  the  Seraphic  Order, 
and  was  styled  "  il  Dottore  Serafico."  His  fame  is  not  confined  to 
his  order,  as  he  is  considered  one  of  the  brightest  lights  of  the 
whole  Church.  His  name  was  Giovanni  Fidanga,  and  he  was  born 
at  Bagnarea,  in  Tuscany,  in  1221.  In  his  infancy  he  was  so  ill 
that  his  life  was  despaired  of,  and  his  mother  took  him  to  St. 
Francis  to  be  healed.  When  the  saint  saw  him  he  exclaimed,  ''  0, 
buona  ventura!"  whereupon  his  mother  dedicated  him  to  God  by  the 
name  of  Bonaventura.  His  progress  in  study  was  amazing ;  and  at 
twenty-two  he  became  a  Franciscan,  and  went  to  Paris  to  study 
theology.  He  soon  became  celebrated  ;  but  his  humility  was  so  great 
that  he  felt  unworthy  to  receive  the  Holy  Communion,  and  legends 


70  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

tell  us  that  the  Host  was  presented  to  him  hy  angels.  Louis  IX. 
(St.  Louis)  greatly  honored  him  while  at  Paris,  and  he  was  chosen 
General  of  his  order  at  tliirtj-five.  He  was  appointed  Archbishop  of 
York,  but  declined  the  honor.  At  length  he  was  made  Cardinal  and 
Bishop  of  Albano.  When  the  pope's  nuncios  carried  him  the  cardi- 
nal's hat,  they  found  him  in  the  garden  of  a  convent,  near  Florence, 
washing  the  plate  from  which  he  had  just  eaten ;  and  he  requested 
them  to  hang  the  hat  on  a  tree  until  he  could  take  it.  In  1274, 
when  a  council  was  held  at  Lyons  to  reconcile  the  Greek  and  Latin 
cliurches,  he,  being  one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  preachers,  first 
addressed  the  assembly.  The  fjxtigues  of  his  labors  here  brought  on 
a  fever,  of  which  he  died,  being  fifty-three  years  old.  He  was  buried 
in  the  church  of  the  Franciscans  at  Lyons ;  but  the  Calvinists,  in 
1562,  broke  open  his  shrine  and  threw  his  ashes  into  the  Saone. 
July  U,  A.  D.    1274. 

St.  Boniface,  martyr  (Za^.  and  Ger.  S.  Bonifacius ;  Ital.  San 
Bonifaccio).  The  history  of  St.  Boniface  is  one  of  the  most  authen- 
tic, as  well  as  beautiful,  of  the  legends  of  his  age.  Justice  can  by 
no  means  be  done  to  his  character  in  the  space  allotted  him  here. 
His  name  was  Winfred,  and  he  was  born  of  a  noble  family  at  Credi- 
ton,  in  Devonshire.  He  taught  literature  and  the  Holy  Scriptures 
at  the  Benedictine  abbey  of  Nutsall,  or  Nuscella,  near  Winchester, 
until  he  was  thirty-six  years  old.  For  some  years  he  had  not  been 
happy  in  his  quiet  vocation,  but  was  constantly  haunted  by  a  desire 
to  preach  the  Gospel  in  Germany.  He  went  first  to  Friesland,  but  it 
was  in  the  days  of  Charles  Martel,  and  a  time  when  he  could  hope 
for  no  results  from  his  labors  ;  so  he  returned  to  Nutsall,  but.  soon 
left  England  for  the  last  time,  and  went  to  Rome  to  entreat  the 
aid  of  the  pope  in  his  German  labors.  It  is  said  to  have  been  at 
this  time  that  he  changed  his  name.  Receiving  a  commission  from 
the  pope,  he  now  travelled  through  Bavaria,  Thuringia,  Saxony, 
and  Friesland,  preaching  with  great  success.  In  732  he  was  made 
Archbishop  and  Primate  of  all  Germany;  and  soon  after,  King  Pepin- 
le-Bref,  whom  Boniface  had  anointed,  named  him  the  first  Bishop 
of  Mayence.  But  when  seventy-four  years  old,  he  gave  up  all  his 
honors,  and  frirding  on  the  plain  habit  of  a  Benedictine  monk,  do- 
voted  himself  aj^ain  to  missionary  labors.  At  length,  while  in  his 
tent,  on  the  banks  of  a  small  river  in  Friesland,  where  he  awaited  a 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  71 

company  of  proselytes,  to  -whom  he  was  about  to  administer  the  sac- 
rament of  confirmation,  he  was  attacked  by  a  band  of  pagans  who 
had  sworn  to  murder  him.  He  always  carried  in  his  bosom  a  copy 
of  the  "  De  Bono  Mortis "  of  St.  Ambrose.  This  was  stained  with 
his  blood,  and  was  preserved  as  a  sacred  relic  at  Fulda.  In  1835 
King  Louis  of  Bavaria,  in  honor  of  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of 
his  marriage,  founded  a  magnificent  basilica,  and  consecrated  it  to  St. 
Boniface.  In  it  are  fine  frescos,  representing  the  various  scenes  in 
the  life  of  this  wonderful  man.     June  5,  a.  d.   755. 

St.  Boniface.     See  St.  Aglae. 

St.  Brice  {Lat.  S.  Britius)  was  Bishop  of  Tours  and  successor 
to  St.  Martin.  He  is  represented  with  coals  in  his  hands,  which  he 
carries  unhurt,  to  prove  himself  innocent  of  false  accusations  made 
against  him ;  and  again  he  carries  a  child  in  his  arms.  November  13, 
A.  D.  444. 

St.  Bridget  of  Ireland.  Although  nearly  every  vestige  of  this 
saint  is  gone,  she  still  lives  as  their  patroness  in  the  hearts  of  the 
Irish  people.  Her  mother  was  very  lovely,  and  the  captive,  taken  in 
war,  of  a  powerful  chieftain.  His  wife,  being  jealous  of  her,  turned 
her  away  before  the  birth  of  Bridget.  But  two  disciples  of  St.  Pat- 
rick took  pity  on  them,  and  baptized  the  mother  and  child.  Bridget 
grew  up  with  such  beauty  of  mind  and  person  that  she  became 
famous,  and  her  father  desired  to  have  her,  and  to  marry  her  to  a 
chief.  But  Bridget  devoted  herself  to  God*s  service,  especially  to  the 
instruction  of  women.  She  received  the  veil  at  the  hands  of  St. 
Patrick.  She  went  to  Kildare,  "  the  cell  or  place  of  the  oak,"  and 
not  only  taught,  but  performed  miracles.  Her  fame  drew  about  her 
many  women  who  lived  in  huts,  and  from  this  arose  the  first  religious 
community  of  women  in  Ireland.  The  convent  and  city  of  Kildare 
were  afterwards  both  flourishing  and  famous.  Here  was  preserved 
unextinguished,  for  many  centuries,  the  sacred  lamp  which  burned 
before  her  altar,  — 

"The  bright  lamp  that  shone  in  Kildare's  holy  fane, 
And  burned  through  long  ages  of  darkness  and  storm. 
February  1. 

St.  Bridget  of  Sweden  was  the  founder  of  the  Order  of  the 
Brigittines,  or  Brigitta,  and  is  one  of  the  patron  saints  of  Sweden. 
She  was  of  royal  blood,  and  married  to  the  Prince  of  Norica,  named 


72  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

Ulpho.  She  was  very  devout,  and  influenced  her  husband  and  their 
eight  children  to  live  religiously.  After  the  death  of  Ulpho  she  built 
monasteries  at  Wastein  for  monks  and  nuns,  respectively,  and  hand- 
somely endowed  both.  Their  rule  was  principally  that  of  St.  Augustine, 
though  modified  by  directions  Bridget  received  in  visions,  of  which 
she  had  many.  Her  order  was  approved  by  the  pope,  under  the 
title  of  the  "  Rule  of  the  Order  of  our  Saviour."  She  made  many 
pilgrimages  to  Rome  and  Compostella. 

St.  Bruno  was  the  founder  and  first  abbot  of  the  Carthusian 
Order.  He  was  of  a  noble  family  of  Cologne,  and  on  account  of  his 
great  talents  was  sent  to  Paris  to  study  theology  under  Raymond. 
He  afterwards  taught  in  the  school  at  Rhoims ;  but,  after  long  reflec- 
tion, determined  on  a  monastic  life.  With  six  companions  he  went  to 
Grenoble,  when  Hugo,  the  bishop,  having  been  warned  in  a  dream  of 
their  coming,  gave  them  some  barren  land  at  Chartreux.  Here  Bruno 
founded  his  first  monastery,  and  his  order  was  confirmed  by  the  pope. 
The  robes  and  hoods  of  the  Carthusians  are  white,  and  their  whole 
heads  shaven.  Urban  II.  had  been  a  pupil  of  Bruno  at  Rheims,  and 
when  he  became  pope,  sent  for  him  to  aid  him  in  his  great  cares,  and 
desired  to  make  him  Archbishop  of  Reggio.  But  this  Bruno  refused, 
and  not  liking  the  life  at  court,  retired  to  Calabria,  where  he  founded 
another  monastery.  He  died  in  1200.  The  order  which  he  established 
is  of  great  interest.  It  is  among  the  most  severe  in  its  rule  of  all 
the  monastic  orders,  and  adds  almost  perpetual  silence  to  the  usual 
vows.  Only  once  a  week  can  these  monks  talk  together.  They  never 
taste  flesh,  and  make  but  one  meal  a  day  of  pulse,  bread,  and  water, 
and  this  is  eaten  separatel3\  They  labor,  too,  with  great  diligence, 
and  their  discipline  has  been  described  as  most  fearful  in  its  severity. 
In  spite  of  all  this,  they  have  an  extreme  love  of  the  beautiful,  and 
have  done  much  for  art.  Their  churches  and  gardens  were  wondrous 
in  their  perfection  ;  and  their  pictures  at  the  Chartreuse  of  Paris 
(now  in  the  Louvre),  in  the  Chartreuse  of  Santa  Maria  de  las  Cuevas 
near  Seville,  at  Paular,  and  other  places,  possess  a  world  of  interest. 
July  18. 

Csedmon  the  Poet  lived  in  the  monastery  of  the  Abbess  Hilda, 
as  a  servant,  until  past  middle  life.  He  knew  nothing  of  literature 
or  poetry  ;  and  when  it  came  his  turn  to  sing  at  table,  ho  went  away. 
Onco  as  he  did  this,  and  went  to  the  stable  to  care  for  the  horses, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  73 

he  fell  asleep,  and  an  angel  came  in  a  dream  and  told  him  to  sing. 
He  answered  that  he  could  not  sing,  and  for  that  reason  had  left 
the  table.  But  the  angel  said,  "You  shall  sing,  notwithstanding;" 
and  when  he  asked  what  he  should  sing,  the  reply  was,  "  Sing  the 
beginning  of  created  beings."  Then  Csedmon  began  to  sing  praises 
to  God  :  and  when  he  awoke  he  remembered  all  he  had  suno;,  and 
was  able  to  add  more  also.  When  he  told  this  to  Hilda,  she  believed 
him  to  be  inspired,  and  received  him  into  a  monastery  whose  monks 
were  under  her  jurisdiction.  He  was  instructed  in  Scripture ;  and  as 
he  read,  he  converted  it  into  verse.  His  paraphrase  of  Scripture  is 
still  preserved  in  the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford.  He  died  peacefully, 
while  making  the  sign  of  the  cross. 

St.  Casimir,  patron  saint  of  Poland,  was  the  son  of  Casimir  IV.  of 
Poland  and  Elizabeth  of  Austria.  From  his  childhood  he  participated 
in  none  of  the  pleasures  of  his  father's  court ;  and  as  he  grew  up  he 
composed  many  hymns.  He  refused  the  crown  of  Hungary,  and  lived 
more  and  more  secluded,  devoting  himself  to  religious  pursuits,  until 
his  death  in  1483.     March  4. 

St.  Cassian  {ItaL  San  Casciano)  was  a  schoolmaster  of  Imola; 
and  being  denounced  as  a  Christian,  the  judge  who  condemned  him 
to  death  allowed  his  scholars  to  be  his  executioners.  They  hated 
him  on  account  of  his  severe  discipline,  and  they  tortured  him  most 
cruelly,  by  piercing  him  with  the  iron  styles  used  in  writing.  He  is 
the  patron  saint  of  Imola.     August  13. 

St.  Catherine  of  Alexandria,  virgin  and  martyr  {Lat.  Sancta 
Catharina ;  Ital.  Santa  Catarina  dei  Studienti,  or  Santa  Catarina 
delle  Ruote ;  Fr.  Madame  Ste.  Catherine ;  Sp.  Santa  Catalina ;  Ger. 
Die  Heilige  Katharina  von  Alexandrien).  This  saint  was  the  daughter 
of  Costis  (half-brother  to  Constantino  the  Great)  and  Sabinella, 
Queen  of  Egypt.  Before  the  birth  of  Catherine  her  mother  was 
prepared  by  a  dream  to  find  her  a  remarkable  child ;  and  at  the 
moment  of  her  birth  a  halo  of  light  played  about  her  head.  Her 
acquirements  and  her  wisdom  were  most  wonderful,  and  the  phi- 
losophy of  Plato  was  her  favorite  study  while  a  child.  She  had 
seven  learned  masters,  and  chambers  fitted  with  everything  to  aid 
her  in  her  studies.  Her  father  died  when  she  was  fourteen,  leaving 
her  heiress  to  the  kingdom.  She  gave  herself  up  to  study  and 
retirement,  which  displeased  her  subjects  and  they  begged  her  to 


74  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

marry.  They  said  she  was  possessed  of  four  notable  gifts,  —  that 
she  was  of  the  most  noble  blood  in  the  world,  and  that  she  surpassed 
all  others  in  wealth,  knowledge,  and  beauty ;  and  they  desired  that 
she  should  give  them  an  heir.  She  replied  that  as  she  had  four 
gifts,  so  he  whom  she  would  marry  must  likewise  be  of  such  noble 
blood  that  all  would  worship  him ;  and  so  great  as  not  to  be  indebted 
to  her  for  being  made  a  king,  richer  than  any  other;  so  beautiful 
that  angels  should  desire  to  see  him  ;  and  so  benign  as  to  forgive 
all  offences.  Such  an  one  only  could  she  marry.  Then  Sabinella 
and  the  people  were  sorrowful,  for  they  knew  of  no  such  man.  But 
Catherine  would  marry  no  other.  Now  a  hermit  who  dwelt  in  a 
desert  not  far  from  Alexandria  was  sent  by  the  Blessed  Virgin,  who 
appeared  to  him,  to  tell  Catherine  that  her  Son  was  the  husband  she 
desired  to  have,  for  he  possessed  all  the  requirements,  and  more  ; 
and  the  hermit  gave  Catherine  a  picture  of  Mary  and  Jesus.  "When 
she  gazed  on  his  face  she  loved  him,  and  could  think  of  nothing  else, 
and  her  studies  became  dull  to  her.  That  night  she  had  a  dream  in 
which  she  went  with  the  old  hermit  to  a  sanctuary  on  a  high  moun- 
tain ;  and  when  she  approached  it  angels  came  to  meet  her,  and  she 
fell  on  her  face.  But  an  angel  said,  "Stand  up,  our  dear  sister 
Catherine;  for  thee  hath  the  King  of  glory  delighted  to  honor." 
Then  she  stood  up  and  followed  them,  and  they  led  her  to  a  chamber 
where  the  queen  was,  surrounded  by  angels,  saints,  and  martyrs,  and 
her  beauty  none  could  describe.  The  angels  presented  Catherine  to 
her,  and  besought  her  to  receive  her  as  her  daughter.  The  queen 
bade  her  welcome,  and  led  her  to  our  Lord.  But  the  Lord  turned 
away,  saying,  "She  is  not  fair  and  beautiful  enough  for  me."  At 
these  words  Catherine  awoke,  and  wept  till  morning.  She  called  the 
hermit,  and  demanded  what  would  make  her  worthy  of  her  celestial 
Bridegroom.  He,  perceiving  the  darkness  of  her  mind,  instructed 
her  in  the  true  faith ;  and  she,  and  also  Sabinella,  were  baptized. 
That  night,  as  Catherine  slept,  the  Virgin  and  her  Son,  attended  by 
many  angels,  appeared  to  her;  and  Mary  again  presented  her  to  Jesus, 
saying,  "  Lo,  she  hath  been  baptized,  and  I  myself  have  been  her 
godmother."  Then  Christ  smiled  on  her,  and  plighted  his  troth  to 
her,  and  put  a  ring  on  her  finger.  And  when  she  awoke  the  ring  was 
still  there  ;  and  from  that  time  she  despised  all  earthly  things,  and 
thought  only  of  the  time  when  she  should  go  to  her  heavenly  Bride- 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  75 

groom.  At  length  the  good  Sabinella  died.  At  this  time  Maximin 
came  to  Alexandria,  and  declared  a  great  persecution  against  those 
who  did  not  worship  idols.  Then  Catherine  came  forth  to  the  temple, 
and  held  an  argument  with  the  tyrant  and  confounded  him.  He 
then  ordered  fifty  learned  men  to  come  from  all  parts  of  the  empire 
to  dispute  with  her;  but  she,  praying  to  God,  overcame  them  all, 
so  that  they  too  declared  themselves  Christians.  Then  Maximin, 
enraged,  commanded  them  to  be  burned;  and  Catherine  comforted 
them  when  they  could  not  be  baptized,  saying  that  their  blood  should 
be  their  baptism,  and  the  flames  glorious  crowns  for  them.  Then  the 
emperor,  admiring  her  beauty,  tried  to  overcome  her  virtue ;  and 
when  he  could  not  do  this,  and  was  about  to  go  to  war,  he  com- 
manded Porphyry,  his  servant,  to  cast  her  into  a  dungeon  and  starve 
her.  But  angels  came  to  feed  her;  and  when,  after  twelve  days, 
they  opened  the  dungeon,  a  bright  light  and  a  fragrance  filled  all  the 
place.  Then  the  empress  and  Porphyry,  with  two  hundred  others, 
fell  at  the  feet  of  Catherine,  and  declared  themselves  Christians. 
When  Maximin  returned,  he  put  the  empress  and  all  to  death, 
and  admiring  Catherine's  beauty  still  more  than  at  first,  offered  her 
to  be  mistress  of  the  world  if  she  would  listen  to  him.  When  she 
still  rejected  his  offers,  he  ordered  the  most  dreadful  tortures  for 
her,  —  wheels  revolving  in  different  directions,  that  should  tear  her 
in  many  pieces.  When  they  had  bound  her  to  these,  an  angel  came 
and  consumed  the  wheels  in  fire,  and  the  fragments  flew  around, 
and  killed  the  executioners  and  three  thousand  people.  Eut  again 
Maximin  ordered  her  to  be  scourged  and  beheaded.  Then  angels 
came  and  bore  her  body  to  the  top  of  Mt.  Sinai,  and  there  it  rested 
in  a  marble  sarcophagus.  In  the  eighth  century  a  monastery  was 
built  over  her  burial-place,  and  her  remains  are  still  greatly  vener- 
ated. It  is  said  by  some  that  Maximin  was  consumed  by  an  inward 
fire ;  by  others,  that  wild  beasts  devoured  him.  Catherine  is  patron- 
ess of  education,  science,  and  philosophy,  of  all  students,  and  of 
colleges.  As  patroness  of  eloquence,  she  was  invoked  for  all  dis- 
eases of  the  tongue.  She  is  also  patroness  jaf  Venice,  and  a  favorite 
saint  of  ladies  of  royal  birth.  She  is  represented  as  richly  dressed  ; 
and  her  peculiar  attribute  is  the  wheel,  either  whole  or  broken.  She 
has  also  the  martyr's  palm,  the  crown  of  I'oyalty,  the  book  which 
expresses  her  learning ;  and  frequently  she  tramples  on  the  head  of 


76  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

Maximin,  thus  symbolizing  the  triumph  of  her  Christian  faith  over 
paganism  and  cruelty.  The  marriage  of  St.  Catherine  to  the  Saviour 
is  a  favorite  and  extremely  beautiful  subject  of  art.  November  25, 
A.  D.  3U7. 

St.  Catherine  of  Bologna,  or  Santa  Caterina  de'  Vigri,  has 
been  greatly  venerated  in  her  own  city  for  about  four  centuries.  She 
was  of  noble  familv,  and  for  a  time  a  maid  of  honor  at  the  court 
of  Ferrara.  She  entered  a  convent  of  Poor  Clares,  and  became  dis- 
tinguished as  a  painter.  There  are  said  to  be  several  pictures  of 
hers  in  Bologna.  Her  remains,  dressed  in  brocade  and  jewels,  are 
to  be  seen  in  her  convent  at  Bologna.     March  9,  A.  D.  14G3. 

St.  Catherine  of  Siena  {Lat.  Sancta  Catharina  Senese,  Virgo 
adniiral)ilis,  et  gloriosa  Sponsa  Christi ;  Ital.  Santa  Caterina  di 
Siena,  la  Santissima  Vergine).  She  was  the  daughter  of  a  dyer 
who  dwelt  near  the  Fonte-Branda,  at  Siena;  his  dwelling  is  now 
the  Oratory  of  St.  Catherine.  She  dedicated  herself  to  a  religious 
life  as  early  as  in  her  eighth  year,  and  prayed  Christ  to  be  her 
Bridegi'oom,  as  he  was  that  of  Catherine  of  Alexandria.  Her 
father  and  mother  were  angry  at  her  refusal  to  marry,  and  greatly 
persecuted  her,  putting  the  most  menial  labors  upon  her  and  treat- 
ing her  with  great  harshness.  But  at  length  her  father  saw  her  at 
prayer  with  a  white  dove  resting  upon  her  head,  of  whose  presence 
she  seemed  unconscious.  From  this  time  she  was  allowed  to  choose 
her  own  course  in  life.  She  never  entered  a  convent  as  a  professed 
nun,  but  she  made  a  vow  of  silence  for  three  years,  and  led  a  life  of 
the  greatest  self-denial.  She  went  every  day  to  the  convent  of  St. 
Dominick  to  pray,  and  there  she  had  many  wonderful  visions.  She 
was  greatly  tempted  of  Satan ;  she  inflicted  upon  herself  the  most 
severe  penances,  and  Christ  came  to  her  in  visible  presence  to  con- 
sole her.  She  nursed  the  sick,  even  those  who  had  the  most  loath- 
some diseases.  Her  fame  spread  through  all  Tuscany  and  to  Milan 
and  Naples.  At  length  the  Florentines,  having  rebelled  against  the 
Holy  See,  were  excommunicated  by  the  pope,  and  they  sent  Cath- 
erine to  him  as  their  mediator.  The  ])Ope,  then  at  Avignon,  was  so 
much  ] (leased  with  Catherine  that  he  left  her  to  decide  the  terms  of 
peace  between  himself  and  tlie  Florentines.^     Catherine  felt  it  to  bo  a 

^  St.  Catlierine  lecoiiuiled  the  Florentines  to  the  Uoly  See,  in  137S,  during 
the  Pontificate  of  Urban  VI. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  77 

gi'eat  cause  of  misrule  in  the  Church,  that  the  popes  were  absent 
from  Eome,  and  she  used  all  her  powers  to  persuade  Gregory  XI.  to 
return  to  the  Lateran,  which  he  did.  In  the  great  schism  which  fol- 
lowed the  death  of  Gregory,  Catherine  took  the  part  of  Urban  VI., 
who  appointed  her  ambassadress,  with  St.  Catherine  of  Sweden,  to 
the  court  of  Joanna  II.  of  Sicily,  who  had  sided  with  the  anti-pope, 
Clement.  But  her  failing  health  prevented  her  from  fulfilling  the 
mission.  Catherine  died  at  thirty-three,  after  great  physical  suffer- 
ing, —  still  full  of  zeal  and  faith.  She  was  one  of  the  most  noted  of 
female  saints,  and  is  known  at  Siena  as  "  la  Santa."  The  facts  of  her 
history  render  her  life  interesting  in  many  ways.  She  is  represented 
in  pictures  in  the  habit  of  the  Dominican  Order,  with  the  stigmata, 
which  she  is  said  to  have  received.     April  30,  a.  d.  1380. 

St.  Cecilia  {Fr.  Ste.  Cecile).  She  is  supposed  to  have  lived 
in  the  third  century,  and  the  honor  paid  to  her  can  be  traced  to 
that  time.  She  was  the  daughter  of  a  noble  Roman,  who,  with  his 
wife,  had  secretly  become  Christians.  Cecilia  was  in  childhood  re- 
markably serious  and  pious.  She  early  made  a  vow  of  chastity,  and 
devoted  herself  to  a  religious  life.  She  always  carried  a  copy  of  the 
Gospels  in  her  robe.  She  especially  excelled  in  music,  and  composed 
and  sung  hymns  so  sweet  that  angels  came  to  listen  to  her.  But 
the  instruments  employed  in  secular  music  were  insufficient  to  ex- 
press the  music  of  her  soul,  and  she  invented  the  organ,  and  conse- 
crated it  to  God's  service.  Her  parents  desired  her,  when  sixteen 
years  old,  to  marry  Valerian,  a  rich  young  noble.  She  did  so ;  but 
beneath  her  bridal  robes  she  wore  a  garment  of  penance,  and  remem- 
bering her  vow  prayed  God  to  help  her  to  preserve  her  chastity. 
He  so  answered  her  prayer  that  when  she  told  Valerian  of  her  faith, 
he  became  converted,  and  was  baptized,  and  respected  her  vow. 
Cecilia  had  told  Valerian  that  she  had  a  guardian  angel ;  and  when 
he  returned  from  his  baptism,  he  heard  sweet  music,  and  saw  the 
angel  standing  near  her  with  two  crowns,  made  of  the  immortal 
roses  which  bloom  in  Paradise.  Cecilia  and  Valerian  knelt,  and 
the  angel  crowned  them  with  the  flowers,  and  told  Valerian  that 
because  he  had  listened  to  Cecilia  and  respected  her  vow,  whatever 
he  most  desired  should  be  granted  him.  Then  Valerian  said,  "  I 
have  a  brother,  named  Tiburtius,  whom  "I  love  as  my  own  soul; 
grant  that  his  eyes  also  may  be  opened  to  the  truth."     This  request 


78  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

was  pleasing  to  God ;  and  when  Tiburtius  entered  soon  after  and  per- 
ceived the  fragrance  of  the  roses,  he  was  surprised,  for  it  was  not  the 
time  of  flowers.  Then  Cecilia  told  him  of  their  faith,  and  he  too  was 
converted  and  baptized.  They  then  gave  themselves  up  to  a  religious 
life,  and  did  much  good  to  the  poor  and  persecuted  Christians.  But 
the  prefect,  Almachius,  commanded  them  to  worship  Jupiter;  and 
when  tiiey  would  not,  he  cast  the  brothers  into  prison,  and  gave 
them  a  keeper,  called  Maximus,  and  he  also  became  a  Christian. 
This  80  enraged  the  prefect  that  he  commanded  the  three  to  be 
beheaded.  Cecilia  cared  for,  and  buried  their  remains  in  the  ceme- 
tery of  Calixtus.  Desiring  to  have  her  great  wealth,  the  prefect  then 
commanded  Cecilia  to  worship  Jupiter,  and  threatened  her  with  fear- 
ful tortures.  She  only  smiled  her  scorn.  He  then  commanded  her 
to  be  thrown  into  her  bath,  filled  with  boiling  water.  This  did  not 
hurt  her  at  all ;  so  he  then  sent  an  executioner  to  slay  her  with  the 
sword.  His  hand  trembled,  so  that  he  inflicted  three  wounds  on  her 
neck  and  breast,  and  yet  did  not  kill  her.  She  lingered  three  days. 
She  gave  her  money  to  the  poor,  and  desired  that  her  house  should 
be  made  a  church.  She  died  sweetly  singing,  and  was  buried  beside 
her  husband.  In  the  ninth  century,  when  Paschal  repaired  her 
church,  he  had  a  vision  of  St.  Cecilia,  in  which  she  told  him  her 
burial-place.  Her  body  was  found,  and  also  the  bodies  of  Valerian, 
Tiburtius,  and  Maximus.  They  were  placed  in  her  church,  now 
called  St.  Cecilia-in-Trastevere.  Her  bathroom  is  a  cha{)cl,  and 
the  stones  and  pipes  for  heating  the  bath  still  remain.  In  the  six- 
teenth century  the  church  was  again  repaired,  and  her  coffin  opened, 
when  the  celebrated  statue  of  "  St.  Cecilia  lying  dead  "  was  made, 
which  represents  her  as  she  appeared  in  the  coffin.  Slie  is  the  patron- 
ess of  music  and  musicians.  Her  proper  attribute  is  the  organ  and 
a  roll  of  music.  She  also  has  the  crown  of  roses,  and  an  attendant 
angel.  She  is  richly  dressed,  and  often  has  jewels.  November  22, 
A.  D.  280. 

St.  Celsus  {Ital.  San  Cclso).  This  was  a  young  disciple  of  St. 
Nazarius,  who  was  a  converted  Jew.  Together  they  travelled  through 
Gaul  as  missionary  preachers.  At  Genoa  the  people  threw  them  into 
the  sea;  but  they  were  miraculously  saved,  and  came  at  last  to  Milan, 
wlierc  Protasius  and  Gorvasius  had  become  Christians,  whom  they 
strengthened.     Both  Celsus  and  Nazarius  were  beheaded  at  Milan, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  79 

where  there  is  a  beautiful  church,  San  Nazaro  Maggiore.  There  is 
also  at  Ravenna  the  remarkable  Byzantine  church  of  SS.  Nazaro-e- 
Celso.  They  are  always  represented  together,  and  bear  the  swords 
and  palms  of  martyrs.  Nazarius  is  old  and  Celsus  quite  young. 
July  28. 

St.  Cesareo,  or  Csesarius.  The  veneration  of  this  saint  seems 
to  be  confined  to  Home.  He  perished  at  Terracina  because  he  opposed 
the  worship  of  Apollo.  He  was  famous  both  in  the  East  and  West  in 
the  sixth  century.  The  church  of  San  Cesareo  in  Eome  is  also  called 
"  in  Palatio,"  from  its  situation  near  the  ancient  palace  and  baths  of 
Caracalla  on  the  Via  Appia,  not  far  from  the  Porta  St.  Sebastiano. 
He  was  put  into  a  sack,  and  cast  into  the  sea,  together  with  a  priest 
named  Lucian.     November  1,  a.  d.  300. 

St.  Chad  of  Lichfield  became,  in  659,  abbot  of  the  Priory  of 
Lastingham,  w^hich  had  been  founded  by  his  eldest  brother,  Cedd. 
He  was  famous  for  his  religious  life,  and  being  made  bishop  of  the 
Mercians  and  Northumbrians,  he  preached  as  a  missionary  through 
all  the  country.  He  had  his  episcopal  see  in  Lichfield,  "  the  field 
of  the  dead;"  and  there  he  built  a  habitation  where  he  lived  with  a 
few  brethren,  and  a  church  where  he  baptized  his  converts.  After 
living  in  this  way  more  than  two  years,  he  had  a  vision  in  which 
he  was  warned  of  his  death.  He  saw  his  brother  with  a  troop  of 
angels.  They  sang  and  called  him  to  follow  them  to  God,  and 
still  sweetly  singing  ascended  to  heaven.  He  advised  the  brethren 
how  they  should  live,  and  soon  died.  His  church  may  be  considered 
the  origin  of  the  cathedral  of  Lichfield,  where  the  shrine  of  St. 
Chad  was  deposited  in  1148,  and  is  greatly  venerated.  March  2, 
A.D.  673. 

Chantal,  la  Mere.  Ste.  Jeanne-FranQoise  de  Chantal  was  the 
grandmother  of  Madame  de  S^vigne.  She  was  devoted  to  the  Faith 
even  in  childhood,  and  would  not  receive  a  gift  from  a  Calvinist.  In 
obedience  to  her  parents,  she  married  Baron  Chantal,  but  made  a  vow 
to  dedicate  herself  to  a  religious  life  if  she  should  ever  be  a  widow. 
Her  husband  died  w^hen  she  was  twenty-nine,  and  for  ten  years  she 
devoted  herself  to  her  children  and  to  the  preparation  for  the  fulfil- 
ment of  her  vow.  She  assisted  St.  Francis  de  Sales  to  establish  the 
Order  of  the  Visitation,  and  assumed  the  direction  of  it,  as  "la  ^lere 
Chantal."     Her  children  loved  her  passionately,  and  sought  to  keep 


80  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

her  with  them  ;  but  she  remained  firm  in  her  determination.  At  the 
time  of  her  death,  in  10-41,  there  were  seventy-five  houses  of  her 
order  in  France  and  Savoy.  She  was  canonized  in  17G9.  August 
21,  A.  D.  1G41. 

St.  Charlemagne  ^ —  whose  history  as  Charlemagne  the  Great» 
Emperor  of  France,  Italy,  and  Germany,  is  so  familiar  to  all  —  stands  at 
the  head  of  royal  saints  in  the  countries  over  which  he  ruled,  although 
if  a  strict  chronology  w^ere  observed,  St.  Clotilda  and  St.  Sigismond 
would  precede  him.  He  is  frequently  represented  with  a  book,  in 
remembrance  of  his  having  caused  the  Scriptures  to  be  correctly 
translated  and  widely  promulgated,     January  28,  a.  d.  814. 

St.  Charles  Borromeo  {Ital.  San  Carlo).  This  saint  was  of  one 
of  the  noblest  families  of  Lombardy.  Being  the  second  son,  he  was 
early  dedicated  to  the  Church.  At  twelve  years  of  age  he  received 
the  revenues  of  a  rich  Benedictine  monastery,  but  would  only  reserve 
a  mere  pittance  for  himself,  devoting  the  remainder  to  charity.  At 
twenty-three  he  was  made  cardinal  and  Archbishop  of  Milan,  by  his 
uncle  Pius  IV.  His  elder  brother  died  when  Charles  was  twenty-six. 
He  went  at  once  to  take  possession  of  his  diocese  and  estate.  His 
incomes  he  dedicated  to  public  uses,  only  spending  for  himself  enough 
to  buy  his  l9read  and  water,  and  straw  on  which  to  sleep.  He  sent 
missionaries  to  preach  in  every  part  of  his  diocese,  and  went  also 
himself  to  see  that  his  people  were  cared  for.  In  public  he  lived  as 
became  his  rank,  and  gave  feasts  of  which  he  never  partook.  His 
charities  were  most  munificent.  At  the  time  of  the  plague  at  Milan, 
he  went  into  the  city,  when  all  others  fled,  and  tended  tlie  sick  and 
performed  all  the  duties  pertaining  to  his  oflRce.  His  example  inspired 
twenty-eight  priests  to  join  him,  all  of  whom  with  St.  Charles  esca])ed 
unhurt.  He  lived  in  a  time  when  the  clergy  had  fallen  into  great 
laxity  of  discipline,  and  he  may  be  regarded  as  a  powerful  instrument 
in  restoring  them  to  zeal  for  the  duties  of  their  vocation.  He  was 
hated  by  those  priests  who  had  been  in  the  habit  of  using  the  reve- 
nues of  the  Church  for  their  own  indulgence ;  and  one,  Fra  Farina, 
attempted  to  kill  him  by  firing  upon  him  while  he  was  celebrating 
the  evening  service.  He  finished  the  prayer,  although  he  believed 
himself  mortally  wounded,  and  the  people  considered  him  to  bo  mirac- 

1  Hh  is  not  mentioned  in  tlio  Catholic  Calendar  of  Saints,  save  as  Blessed.    His 
feast,  January  28,  has  been  kept  by  the  Germans  and  French  only  since  I486. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  81 

ulously  healed.  He  died  K'ovember  4,  1584,  and  with  his  last  breath 
exclaimed,  "Ecce  venio."  His  remains  repose  in  a  rich  shrine  at 
Milan.  He  is  represented  in  cardinal's  robes  and  barefooted,  a  rope 
about  his  neck  and  one  hand  raised  in  benediction,  with  a  book  in  the 
other.     ISTovember  4,  a.  d.  1584. 

St.  Cheron  was  a  disciple  of  St.  Denis,  and  was  Bishop  of 
Chartres.  He  was  attacked  by  robbers,  and  his  head  was  struck  off, 
when  on  his  way  from  Chartres  to  Paris  to  visit  St.  Denis.  Taking 
his  head  in  his  hand,  he  continued  his  journey.  One  of  the  windows 
in  the  cathedral  of  Chartres  represents  the  history  of  St.  Cheron. 

St.  Christina  {ItaL  Santa  Cristina ;  Fr.  Ste.  Christine).  She  is 
supposed  to  have  been  born  at  Tiro,  a  town  on  the  borders  of  Lake 
Bolsena,  which  has  since  been  swallowed  up  in  the  lake.  The  legend 
of  this  saint  has  been  rejected  by  the  Church,  but  she  is  celebrated  in 
central  and  northern  Italy.  She  was  the  child  of  a  Eoman  patrician 
who  governed  the  city.  She  called  herself  Christina  because  she  had 
been  converted  to  the  doctrines  of  Christ.  As  she  stood,  one  day, 
watching  those  who  begged  alms,  and  had  nothing  to  give,  she  thought 
of  the  golden  idols  of  her  father,  and  she  broke  them  in  pieces  and 
gave  them  to  the  poor.  Her  father  was  furious,  and  ordered  his 
servants  to  beat  her  and  throw  her  into  a  dunsreon.  Here  angels 
came  and  healed  her  wounds.  Her  father  then  commanded  her  to  be 
thrown  into  the  lake  with  a  mill-stone  tied  to  her  neck.  But  angels 
bore  her  up,  and  God  clothed  her  with  a  white  robe  and  led  her 
safely  to  land.  She  was  then  thrown  into  a  fiery  furnace,  wherein  she 
remained  unharmed  five  days  and  sung  God's  praises.  Her  father  then 
ordered  her  head  to  be  shaved,  and  that  she  should  be  taken  to  the 
temple  of  Apollo  to  sacrifice ;  but  when  she  came  there  the  idol  fell 
down  before  her,  which  so  frightened  her  father  that  he  died.  But 
Julian,  hearing  that  she  sang  in  her  prison,  sent  orders  that  her 
tongue  should  be  cut  out,  when  she  still  continued  to  sing,  to  the 
amazement  of  all.  She  was  next  shut  up  with  poisonous  reptiles,  but 
she  was  not  harmed.  At  last,  in  despair,  he  commanded  her  to  be 
bound  to  a  post  and  shot  with  arrows  till  she  died.  Thus  was  she 
martyred,  and  angels  bore  her  soul  to  heaven.  On  an  island  in  the 
lake  of  Bolsena,  which  few  travellers  visit,  is  a  church  dedicated  to 
St.  Christina,  the  paintings  in  which  are  attributed  to  the  C^racci. 
The  cathedral  of  Bolsena  is  consecrated  to  her, — patroness  of  Bolsena 

6 


82  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

and  the  Venetian  States.  Her  proper  attribute  is  the  mill-stone ; 
but  she  sometimes  has  arrows  alone,  when  she  might  be  mistaken  for 
St.    Ursula.     She  has  also  the  martyr's  palm  and  crown.     July  24, 

A.  D.    I'll"). 

St.  Christopher  {Lat.  St.  Christophorus ;  Ital.  San  Cristofero, 
or  Cristofauo ;  Fr.  St.  Christophe,  or  Cristofle ;  Ger.  Der  lieilige 
Christophj.  St.  Christopher  might  well  be  called  the  giant  saint. 
He  was  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  before  performing  the  deeds 
which  won  him  saintly  renown,  was  called  Offero,  which  signifies 
"  the  bearer."  He  was  proud  of  his  vast  size  and  strength  ;  but  in 
spite  of  this,  his  poverty  compelled  him  to  become  a  servant.  So  he 
resolved  that  the  most  powerful  monarch  of  the  earth  alone  should 
be  his  master,  and  he  went  to  seek  him.  At  length,  after  many  days 
of  wandering,  he  came  to  the  court  of  a  king  said  to  excel  all  others 
in  power  and  wealth,  and  to  him  he  offered  his  services.  The  king 
accepted  him  gladly,  for  no  other  monarch  of  all  the  earth  could 
boast  of  such  a  sei'vant.  Now  Offero  knew  nothing  of  the  power  of 
Christ  or  Satan,  and  supposed  his  master  to  be  afraid  of  no  one,  since 
he  was  the  greatest  monarch  of  the  earth ;  but  one  day,  as  he  stood 
beside  him,  a  minstrel  who  was  singing  mentioned  frequently  the 
name  of  Satan,  and  every  time  he  did  so  the  king  trembled  and 
crossed  himself.  Offero  asked  the  meaning  of  this ;  and  when  the 
king  did  not  answer,  he  said,  "If  thou  dost  not  answer  me  this,  I 
leave  thee."  Then  the  king  said,  "  I  make  this  sign  that  Satan  may 
have  no  power  over  me ;  for  he  is  veiy  mighty,  and  as  wicked  as 
strong,  and  I  fear  lest  he  shall  overcome  me."  Then  Offero  felt 
himself  deceived,  and  said,  "Since  there  is  one  whom  thou  fearest, 
him  will  I  seek  and  serve ;  for  my  master  must  fear  no  one."  So  he 
wandered  again,  seeking  Satan ;  and  crossing  a  great  desert,  he  saw 
a  terrible  being  with  the  ai)pearance  of  great  power,  marching  at  the 
head  of  an  armed  legion.  He  did  not  seem  to  notice  the  great  size 
of  Offero,  and  with  an  air  of  authority  said,  "  Whither  goest  thou, 
and  for  what  dost  thou  seek?"  Then  said  Offero,  "I  wish  to  find 
Satan;  for  I  have  heard  he  is  the  most  powerful  of  all  the  earth,  and  I 
would  have  him  for  my  master."  Satan,  well  pleased,  replied,  **  I  am 
he,  and  your  service  shall  bo  an  easy  and  pleasant  one."  Offero  then 
bowed  before  hira,  and  joined  his  followers.  After  a  time,  as  they 
journeyed  on,  they  came  to  a  cross,  erected  by  the  wayside,  "where 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  83 

four  roads  met.  AVhen  the  Devil  saw  this  he  turned  with  great 
haste  and  fear,  and  went  a  long  distance  out  of  his  way  to  avoid  the 
cross.  Then  said  Olfero,  "Why  is  thisl  What  is  this  cross,  and 
wherefore  dost  thou  avoid  iti"  But  Satan  spoke  not.  Then  said 
Otfero,  "Except  thou  tellest  me  I  must  leave  thee."  Being  compelled, 
the  wicked  one  replied,  "  I  fear  the  cross,  because  upon  it  Jesus  died ; 
and  when  I  behold  it  I  fly,  lest  he  should  overcome  me."  Then  said 
Offero,  "  Tell  me  who  is  this  Jesus ;  for  since  thou  fearest  him,  he  is 
more  powerful  than  thou,  and  him  will  I  seek  and  serve."  So  he  left 
Satan,  and  wandered  many  days  in  search  of  Christ.  At  length  he 
came  to  a  hermit,  whom  he  entreated  to  tell  him  where  Christ  could 
be  found.  Then  the  hermit,  seeing  that  he  knew  nothing  of  Jesus, 
began  to  teach  him,  and  said,  "  Thou  art  right  in  believing  that  Christ 
is  the  greatest  king ;  for  his  power  extends  over  both  heaven  and 
earth,  and  will  endure  throughout  eternity.  But  thou  canst  not  serve 
him  lightly ;  and  if  he  accepts  thee,  he  will  impose  great  duties  upon 
thee,  and  will  require  that  thou  fast  often."  Then  said  Offero,  "I 
will  not  fast,  for  it  is  my  strength  that  makes  me  a  good  servant  : 
why  should  I  waste  it  by  fasting  % "  "  And  besides,  thou  must  pray," 
said  the  hermit.  "  I  know  not  how  to  pray,  neither  will  I  learn. 
Such  a  service  is  for  weak  ones,  but  not  for  me,"  said  the  proud  giant. 
Then  said  tlie  hermit,  "  If  thou  wilt  use  thy  strength,  knowest  thou  a 
deep,  wide  river,  that  is  often  swollen  with  rains,  and  sweeps  away  in 
its  swift  current  many  of  those  who  would  cross  itV  Offero  said,  "I 
know  such  a  stream."  "  Then  go  there,"  said  the  hermit,  "  and  aid 
those  who  struggle  with  its  waves ;  and  the  weak  and  the  little  ones 
bear  thou  from  shore  to  shore,  on  thy  broad  shoulders.  This  is  a  good 
work ;  and  if  Christ  will  have  thee  for  this  service,  he  will  assure  thee 
of  his  acceptance."  Then  was  Offero  glad,  for  this  was  a  task  which 
suited  him  well.  So  he  went  to  the  river  and  built  upon  its  bank  a 
hut  of  the  boughs  of  trees.  And  he  aided  all  who  came  ;  and  many  he 
bore  upon  his  shoulders,  and  was  never  weary  by  day  or  night  in 
assisting  those  who  crossed  the  river.  And  after  he  began  his  work, 
not  one  perished,  where  before  so  many  had  been  swept  away.  For 
a  staff  he  used  a  palm-tree  which  he  pulled  up  in  the  forest,  and  it  was 
not  too  large  for  his  great  height  and  strength.  As  Jesus  beheld  this 
he  was  well  pleased  with  Olfero  and  his  labor ;  for  though  he  would 
neither  fast  nor  pray,  yet  had  he  found  a  way  to  serve  him.   At  length, 


84  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

after  Offero  had  spent  a  long  time  and  did  not  weary  of  his  toil,  as  he 
rested  one  night  in  his  hut,  he  heard  a  voice  like  that  of  a  weak  child, 
and  it  said,  ** Offero,  wilt  thou  carry  me  over?"  And  he  went  out 
quickly,  but  he  could  find  no  one.  But  when  he  had  again  lain  down, 
the  same  voice  called  as  before,  and  at  the  third  call  he  arose  and 
sought  with  a  lantern.  At  last  he  found  a  little  child  who  besought 
him,  "  OUero,  Otfero,  carry  me  over  to-night."  He  lifted  him  up,  and 
carrying  his  staff,  began  to  cross  the  stream.  Immediately  the  winds 
blew,  the  waves  were  tossed,  and  the  roar  of  the  waters  was  as  many 
thunders,  and  the  little  child  grew  heavy  and  more  heavy,  until 
Otfero  feared  he  should  himself  sink,  and  both  be  lost.  But  with  the 
aid  of  his  palm  staff,  at  length  he  crossed  and  put  his  burden  safely 
down  upon  the  other  side.  Then  he  cried  out,  "  Whom  have  I  borne  ] 
Had  it  been  the  whole  world,  it  could  not  have  been  more  heavy ! " 
Then  the  child  replied,  "  Me  thou  hast  desired  to  serve,  and  I  have 
accepted  thee.  Thou  hast  borne  not  only  the  whole  world,  but  Him 
who  made  it,  on  thy  shoulders.  As  a  sign  of  my  power  and  of  my 
approbation  of  thee,  fix  tliou  thy  staff  in  the  earth,  and  it  shall  grow 
and  bear  fruit."  Offero  did  so ;  and  the  staff"  was  soon  covered  with 
leaves,  and  the  dates  hung  in  huge  clusters  upon  it.  But  the  wonder- 
ful child  was  gone.  Then  Offero  knew  that  it  was  Christ  whom  he 
had  borne,  and  he  fell  down  and  worshipped  him.  After  that,  Offero 
went  to  Samos,  where  there  was  a  great  persecution  of  Christians,  and 
in  spite  of  his  great  strength  a  heathen  struck  him,  when  he  said, 
"Were  I  not  a  Christian,  I  would  take  vengeance  on  thee."  He 
permitted  himself  to  be  bound  and  taken  to  Dagnus,  the  King  of 
Lycia,  in  which  country  was  Samos.  At  the  sight  of  the  giant  the 
king  fainted.  When  he  was  himself  again,  he  said,  "  Who  art  thou  1 " 
and  the  giant  answered,  "  My  first  name  was  Offero,  the  Bearer,  but 
now  I  serve  Christ,  and  have  borne  him  on  my  shoulders ;  for  this  I 
am  now  called  Christ  Offero,  the  bearer  of  Christ."  Dagnus  sent  him 
to  prison,  and  tried  to  seduce  him  to  idolatry  by  sending  beautiful 
women  to  him,  who  urged  him  to  sin.  But  Cliristopher  was  faithful, 
and  by  his  influence  the  women  became  Christians,  and  suffered  death, 
because  they,  too,  worshipped  Jesus.  Then  Dagnus  tortured  him 
greatly,  and  commanded  him  to  bo  beheaded.  When  they  led  him 
to  execution,  he  kneeled  down  and  prayed  that  all  who  beheld  him 
and  believed  in  Christ  should  be  delivered  from  earthquake,  fire,  and 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  85 

tempest.  It  was  believed  that  his  prayer  was  effectual,  and  that  all 
who  piously  invoke  St.  Christopher  are  safe  for  that  day  from  all  dan- 
gers of  earthquake,  flood,  or  fire.  The  sight  of  him  is  thought  also 
to  impart  strength  to  the  weak  and  weary,  which  idea  is  expressed 
in  many  inscriptions  more  or  less  similar  to  the  following  one,  which 
accompany  his  pictures  :  — 

"  Cbristopliori  Sancti  speciem  quicumque  tuetur, 
Illo  namque  die  nullo  languore  tenetur." 

("Whoever  shall  behold  the  image  of  St.  Christopher  shall  not 
faint  or  fail  on  that  day.")     July  25,  a.  d.  364. 

St.  Chrysanthus  {Ital.  San  Grisante).  This  saint  came  to 
Rome  from  Alexandria,  and  St.  Daria  came  from  Athens.  They 
were  betrothed,  but  Chrysanthus  persuaded  Daria  that  a  state  of 
virginity  was  more  favorable  to  a  religious  life  than  that  of  mar- 
riage. They  were  remarkable  for  their  devotion  to  the  Faith, 
They  were  at  length  accused  and  martyred,  —  in  the  reign  of  JSTa 
merian,  according  to  some;  but  Baillet  believes,  in  the  persecution 
of  Valerian.  It  is  said  that  soon  after  their  burial  a  large  number 
of  Christians  who  were  praying  at  their  tomb  were  walled  up  in  the 
cave,  and  thus  buried  alive.  The  part  of  the  catacombs  where  they 
were  interred  was  long  called  the  cemetery  of  SS.  Chrysanthus  and 
Daria.  The  Greek  Church  honors  them  on  March  19  and  October  17; 
the  Latins,  October  25.     a.  d.  237. 

St.  Chrysogonus  {Ital.  San  Grisogono).     See  St.  Anastasia. 

St.  Clair  {Lat.  S.  Clarus)  is  one  of  the  beheaded  saints.  He 
was  an  Englishman  of  noble  extraction,  and  lived  and  labored  in 
the  county  of  Vexin,  in  France.  He  preached  with  great  faithful- 
ness, and  was  murdered  at  a  village  which  bears  his  name  by  rufiians 
hired  by  a  lewd  woman  who  could  not  overcome  his  chastity.  This 
village  is  between  Rouen  and  Pontoise.  His  shrine  is  greatly  ven- 
erated and  vjsited  by  pilgrims.  He  is  represented  on  a  window  at 
St.  Maclou  in  Rouen.     November  4. 

St.  Clara  {Lat.  Sancta  Clara ;  Ital.  Santa  Chiara ;  Fr.  Ste. 
Claire).  Clara  d'Assisi  was  the  daughter  of  a  nobleman,  Favorino 
Sciffo ;  her  mother  was  named  Ortolana.  Her  beauty  and  the  great 
wealth  of  her  family  caused  her  to  receive  many  offers  of  marriage. 
She    had    early  dedicated   herself  to   a   religious  life,  and  went  to 


86  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

St.  Francis  to  ask  his  advice.  He  encouraged  her  to  renounce  the 
world,  and  appointed  Palm  Sunday  as  the  day  for  her  to  make  her 
profession.  She  went  to  church  with  all  her  family  richly  attired, 
as  was  the  custom  on  that  day.  When  the  others  approached  the 
altar  she  remained  afar  off;  and  St.  Francis,  admiring  her  humility, 
came  down  from  the  altar  to  give  her  the  palm-branch.  At  evening 
she  concealed  herself  in  a  veil,  and  escaped  to  the  Porzioncula,  where 
St.  Francis  dwelt.  She  was  conducted  to  the  altar,  where  St.  Francis 
cut  off  her  hair  with  his  own  hands,  and  she,  putting  off  her  rich 
garments,  was  covered  with  the  personal  penitential  robes  of  Francis, 
which  he  threw  over  her.  Thus  she  became  his  disci[)le,  and  the 
*'  Madre  Serafica,"  or  the  foundress  of  the  Order  of  Franciscan  Nuns, 
or,  as  they  are  better  known,  the  "  Poor  Clares."  The  rules  of  her 
order  were  severe  in  the  extreme.  Clara  went,  by  the  wish  of  St. 
Francis,  to  the  convent  of  St.  Paolo.  Her  family  and  friends  tried 
every  means  to  induce  her  to  return  to  them  without  effect ;  and  in 
a  short  time  she  was  followed  by  her  sister  Agnes,  only  fourteen 
years  old ;  by  many  ladies  of  rank,  among  whom  were  three  of  the 
house  of  Ubaldini ;  and,  at  length,  by  her  mother.  Clara  so  strictly 
adhered  to  the  rules  of  her  order  as  to  injure  her  health,  and  for  a 
long  time  she  was  bedridden.  On  one  occasion  when  the  Saracens, 
to  whom  Frederick  had  given  the  fortress  of  Xocera,  came  to  rav- 
age her  convent  of  San  Damiano,  she  arose  from  her  bed,  where  she 
had  so  long  been  confined,  and  placing  the  Pyx  which  contained  the 
Host  upon  the  threshold,  she  kneeled  down  and  began  to  sing,  when 
the  infidels  threw  down  their  arms  and  fled.  Innocent  IV.  visited 
her  and  confirmed  her  order ;  and  before  her  death  it  had  spread 
throughout  Christendom,  and  many  noble  ladies  had  joined  it.  She 
died  at  sixty  in  a  rapturous  trance,  believing  herself  called  to 
heaven  by  angelic  voices.  Her  sister  Agnes  succeeded  her  as  ab- 
bess. When  the  nuns  removed  from  San  Damiano  to  San  Giorgio, 
they  bore  her  remains  with  them.  The  latter  is  now  the  cliurch  of 
Santa  Chiara  d'  Assisi,  and  is  the  most  famous  one  of  her  order. 
St.  Clara  is  a  favorite  saint  all  over  Europe,  but  especially  so  in 
Spain.  Her  proper  attribute  is  the  Pyx  containing  the  Host.  She 
wears  a  gray  tunic,  and  the  cord  of  St.  Francis,  with  a  black  veil. 
She  also  bears  the  lily,  the  cross,  and  the  palm.  August  12, 
A.  D.  1253. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  87 

St.  Clara  of  Monte-Falco.  This  saint  was  of  the  Augus- 
tinian  order.  In  her  own  country ^he  is  called  St.  Clara;  she  was 
canonized  December  8,  1881,  by  Pope  Leo  XIII.  Her  birth  took 
place  in  1268,  and  she  lived  quietly  in  her  own  city,  which  from 
its  height  overlooks  the  Umbrian  valleys.  The  fame  of  her  mir- 
acles and  the  sweetness  of  her  life  were  well  known  through  all  the 
countr3\ 

St.  Clement  {Ital.  San  Clemente)  is  supposed  to  be  spoken 
of  by  the  Apostle  Paul  (Phil.  iv.  3).  He  was  the  third  pope 
and  bishop  of  Rome.  During  the  many  years  of  his  episcopate 
he  made  numerous  converts,  among  whom  was  Domitilla,  the  niece 
of  the  Emperor  Domitian  ;  and  by  her  influence  he  was  protected 
during  the  reign  of  her  uncle.  In  the  persecution  under  Trajan, 
the  prefect  who  governed  Kome  in  the  absence  of  the  emperor 
commanded  Clement  to  worship  the  idols ;  and  when  he  would 
not,  he  banished  him  to  an  island  where  there  were  large  stone 
quarries  worked  by  convicts.  Many  Christians  had  been  sent 
there  before  him,  and  others  went  with  him  to  share  his  exile. 
Clement  found  those  on  the  island  suffering  for  want  of  water; 
he  knelt  and  prayed,  and  looking  up  saw  a  lamb  on  the  summit 
of  a  hill,  which  was  invisible  to  all  others.  He  knew  it  to  be  the 
Lamb  of  God.  He  went  to  the  spot  where  he  had  seen  it,  and 
upon  digging  found  a  large,  clear  spring  of  water.  After  this  mir- 
acle, he  was  condemned  to  be  cast  into  the  sea,  bound  to  an  anchor. 
But  when  the  Christians  prayed,  the  waters  were  driven  back  for 
three  miles,  and  the}^  saw  a  ruined  temple  which  the  sea  had  cov- 
ered, and  in  it  was  found  the  body  of  the  saint  with  the  anchor 
round  his  neck.  For  many  years,  at  the  anniversary  of  his  death, 
the  sea  retreated  for  seven  days,  and  pilgrimages  were  made  to  this 
submarine  tomb.  At  one  time  a  woman  was  praying  there,  and  her 
child  had  flillen  asleep,  when  the  waters  arose  and  she  fled,  for- 
getting the  child  in  her  fear.  The  next  year  the  boy  was  found 
quietly  sleeping  as  she  had  left  him.  The  church  of  San  Clemente 
in  Rome  is  of  remarkable  interest,  and  the  scenes  of  his  life  are 
represented  in  paintings  of  the  twelfth  century.  According  to  tra- 
dition, the  relics  of  the  saint  are  now  here,  and  also  those  of  St. 
Ignatius  of  Antioch.  His  proper  attribute  is  the  anchor.  Novem- 
ber 23,  A.  D.  100. 


88  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

St.  Clotilda  {Fr.  Ste.  Clotilde).  St.  Clotilda  was  a  Burgun- 
dian  princess,  and  the  wife  of  Clovis.  She  is  famed  as  having 
Christianized  France.  Her  husband,  after  long  resisting  her  at- 
tempts for  his  conversion,  called  upon  the  God  of  Clotilda  in  the 
midst  of  an  unfortunate  battle.  Immediately  the  fortunes  of  his 
arms  were  changed ;  and  by  this  he  was  converted,  and  was  bap- 
tized by  St.  Remi.  At  his  baptism  it  is  said  that  the  oil  was 
brought  from  heaven  by  a  dove  ;  and  tradition  says  that  an  angel 
came  down  bearing  three  lilies,  which  he  gave  to  St.  Rerai,  and  he 
in  turn  gave  them  to  Clotilda,  and  at  this  time  the  arms  of  France 
were  changed  from  the  three  toads  (crapauds)  of  earlier  days,  to 
the  fleurs-de-lys,  the  emblems  of  purity  and  regeneration.     June  3, 

A.   D.     54:5. 

St.  Cloud  was  a  grandson  of  St.  Clotilda,  who  when  his  broth- 
ers were  murdered  escaped  to  a  convent,  and  became  a  monk  of  the 
Benedictine  Order.     September  7,  a.  d.  5 GO. 

Constantine,  Emperor.  Constantine,  while  still  an  idolater 
and  a  persecutor  of  the  Christians,  was  afflicted  with  a  leprosy. 
The  priests  of  the  idols  prescribed  that  he  should  bathe  in  children's 
blood.  Three  thousand  children  were  collected  to  be  slain ;  but  as 
the  emperor  rode  to  the  place  where  they  were,  the  mothers  of  the 
children  so  entreated  him  that  he  stopped  his  chariot  and  said,  "  Far 
better  is  it  that  I  should  die,  than  cause  the  death  of  these  inno- 
cents." He  then  commanded  the  children  to  be  restored  to  their 
mothers,  to  whom  he  gave  large  gifts  to  compensate  for  their  sufferings. 
That  night  in  his  sleep,  St.  Peter  and  St.  Taul  appeared  to  him,  and 
told  him  that  Christ  had  sent  them  to  him  because  he  had  spared 
the  innocents.  They  told  him  to  send  for  Sylvester,  who  would  show 
him  a  pool  in  which  he  could  wash  and  be  clean,  and  that  from  that 
time  he  should  cease  to  persecute  the  Christians,  and  himself  wor- 
ship their  God.  Now  Sylvester  was  the  Bisliop  of  Rome,  who  had 
hid  away  from  the  cruelties  of  Constantine  and  was  in  a  cave  near 
Monte  Calvo.  The  emperor  sent  for  him ;  and  when  the  soldiers 
found  liiin  and  led  him  away,  he  tiiou<,dit  it  was  to  his  execution. 
They  took  him  to  the  emperor,  who  asked  him  who  the  two  gods 
were  who  had  appeared  to  him  the  previous  night.  Sylvester  re- 
plied that  they  were  not  gods,  but  the  apostles  of  Jesus.  Constan- 
tine  then  desired  to  see  the  effigies   of   these   apostles.     Sylvester 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  89 

showed  him  some  pictures  of  Peter  and  Paul,  and  Constantino  saw- 
that  they  were  like  those  whom  he  had  seen  in  the  vision.  Sylves- 
ter then  baptized  him,  and  he  came  oat  from  his  baptism  cured  of 
his  disease.  The  next  day,  Constantine  commanded  that  Christ 
should  be  worshipped  in  all  Rome  as  the  only  God  ;  the  next  day, 
that  those  who  blasphemed  against  Him  should  lose  their  lives ;  the 
third  day,  that  any  one  who  insulted  a  Christian  should  forfeit  half 
his  goods ;  the  fourth  day,  that  the  Bishop  of  Rome  should  be  the 
first  bishop  of  the  world ;  the  next  day,  he  gave  the  privilege  of 
sanctuary  to  the  Christian  churches ;  the  sixth,  he  ordered  that  no 
churches  should  be  built  without  the  consent  of  the  bishop ;  the 
seventh,  that  the  tithes  of  the  domains  of  Rome  should  belong  to 
the  Church ;  and  the  eighth  day,  he  founded  the  Lateran,  by  digging 
himself  and  carrying  on  his  shoulders  twelve  hodfuls  of  earth  and 
laying  the  first  stone.  Another  account  of  the  manner  of  his  con- 
version to  Christianity,  and  one  frequently  illustrated  in  art,  is  that 
during  the  campaign  of  312,  while  on  his  march  to  Rome,  he  saw  a 
luminous  cross  in  the  sky,  with  the  inscription,  "  By  this  conquer," 
and  that  on  the  night  before  his  last  battle  with  Maxentius,  he  was 
commanded  in  a  vision  to  inscribe  the  sacred  monogram  of  the  name 
of  Christ  upon  the  shields  of  his  soldiers.  Three  different  localities 
claim  the  honor  of  having  been  the  place  where  Constantine  beheld 
the  cross ;  these  are  Autun,  Andernach,  and  Verona.  But  to  these 
miraculous  directions  and  the  success  which  followed  his  obedience 
to  them  is  -attributed  his  belief  in  Christianity.  The  Empress 
Helena  told  him  that  it  would  have  been  better  to  become  a  Jew 
than  a  Christian.  So  he  wrote  her  to  bring  to  dispute  with  Sylves- 
ter the  most  learned  of  the  Jews.  She  came  to  Rome  with  one 
hundred  and  forty  doctors  of  the  law.  A  day  was  appointed  for 
the  discussion ;  and  Zeno  and  Crato,  Greek  philosophers,  were  ap- 
pointed arbitrators.  Then  Sylvester,  praying  for  wisdom,  utterly 
defeated  these  learned  Rabbis.  Then  one  of  them,  Zambri,  who 
was  a  magician,  desired  that  a  fierce  bull  should  be  brought,  and 
said  that  when  he  should  speak  in  his  ear  the  name  of  his  God,  he 
should  fall  dead.  The  bull  was  brought ;  and  as  the  magician  had 
said,  he  fell  dead  at  his  feet  as  soon  as  he  had  whispered  to  him. 
Then  Sylvester  was  attacked  with  fury ;  the  arbitrators  were  as- 
tonished, and  Constantine  was  shaken  in  his  faith,  but  Sylvester  said 


90  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

that  the  name  he  had  spoken  was  Satan's,  for  Christ  did  not  destroy 
but  gave  life.  He  desired  that  Zainbri  should  restore  the  bull  to 
life.  This  he  could  not  do  ;  but  Sylvester  made  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  and  commanded  him  to  rise,  when  the  bull  obeyed  and  rose  up 
as  gentle  as  before  he  had  been  fierce.  Then  all  who  saw  this  be- 
lieved and  were  baptized.  Awhile  after  this,  it  was  told  the  emperor 
that  since  his  conversion,  the  dragon  which  dwelt  in  the  moat  had 
killed  three  hundred  persons  daily,  by  his  poisonous  breath.  Then 
Sylvester  went  down  to  the  dragon,  and  exorcised  him  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  and  bound  up  his  mouth  with  a  thread,  and  sealed  it  with 
the  sign  of  the  cross.  Sylvester  also  gave  aid  in  his  house  to  a  Chris- 
tian who  was  afterward  slain  for  his  faith.  The  governor  believed 
that  Sylvester  had  riches  which  belonged  to  the  martyr,  and  threat- 
ened him  with  tortures  if  he  did  not  give  them  up.  Sylvester  told 
the  governor  that  his  soul  should  be  in  torments  that  night ;  and  as 
he  ate  his  dinner  he  was  choked  to  death.  There  is  no  need  to  remind 
one  that  history  and  the  legends  greatly  differ  regarding  Constantine. 
As  for  Sylvester,  he  was  at  the  great  Nicene  Council,  and  after  gov- 
erning the  Church  for  nearly  twenty-four  years,  he  died  and  was 
buried  in  the  cemetery  of  Priscilla  at  Rome.  The  proper  attribute 
of  St.  Sylvester  is  the  bull ;  sometimes  the  portraits  of  St.  Peter  and 
St.  Paul.     His  fesdval  is  December  31,  and  he  died  in  335. 

St.  Cosmo  and  St.  Damian  {Lat.  SS.  Cosmus  et  Damianus; 
Ital.  SS.  Cosimo  e  Damiano  gli  santi  medici  Arabi ;  Fr.  SS.  Come  et 
Damien).  These  brother  saints  are  seldom  separated  in  thought  or 
representation.  They  were  Arabians,  but  dwelt  at  ^Egae,  in  Cilicia. 
Their  father  died  early ;  and  their  mother,  Theodora,  trained  them  in 
Christian  virtue.  Their  charities  were  extensive  ;  and  thc}^  studied 
medicine  for  the  purpose  of  relieving  suftering,  and  refused  all  com- 
pensation for  their  labors.  They  did  not  refuse  to  relieve  even  ani- 
mals, when  in  their  power.  They  became  most  skilful  physicians. 
In  the  time  of  Diocletian  they  wei'e  seized  by  the  proconsul  Lyciaa, 
and  thrown  into  the  sea,  but  were  saved  by  an  angel.  They  were 
also  put  in  the  fire,  which  would  not  burn  them,  and  bound  to 
crosses  and  stoned  ;  but  none  of  the  stones  reached  them,  so  that 
at  last  they  were  beheaded.  They  were  patrons  of  medicine,  and 
succeeded  to  the  honors  of  ^sculapius  among  the  Greeks.  They 
have  also  the  title  of  Anargyres  ("without  fees").    They  were  patrons 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  91 

of  the  Medici  family,  as  is  seen  on  the  coins  of  Florence.  September 
27,  A.  D.  301. 

St.  Costanzo,  Bishop  of  Perugia.  Nothing  is  known  of  this 
saint  but  that  he  suffered  martyrdom  in  the  reign  of  Marcus 
Aurelius.  The  country  between  Perugia  and  Foligno  is  called  the 
Strada  di  Costanza,  and  he  is  much  venerated  in  that  portion  of 
Italy. 

St.  Crispin  and  St.  Crispianus  {Ital.  San  Crispin©  e  San  Cris- 
piano ;  Fr.  SS.  Crespin  et  Crespinian).  These  saints  were  brothers, 
who  went  with  St.  Denis  from  Rome  to  preach  in  France.  They 
supported  themselves  by  making  shoes,  and  were  supplied  with  leather 
by  angels  to  make  shoes  for  the  poor.  Being  denounced  as  Christians, 
they  were  cruelly  tortured,  and  then  beheaded  at  Soissons.  The 
Roman  tradition  fixes  their  death  in  a.  d.  300,  but  other  authorities 
give  the  date  thirteen  years  earlier.  Their  proper  attributes  are  the 
awl  and  shoemaker's  knife.     October  25. 

St.  Cunegunda.  March  3,  a.  d.  1040.  (See  St.  Henry  of 
Bavaria.) 

St.  Cunibert,  to  whom  one  of  the  most  ancient  churches  of 
Cologne  is  dedicated,  was  bishop  of  that  city.  He  was  the  adviser 
of  King  Dagobert  and  some  of  his  successors,  and  an  intimate  friend 
of  Pepin  d'Heristal.  He  held  his  diocese  thirty-seven  years.  Accord- 
ing to  the  legend,  St.  Cunibert  was  directed  by  a  dove  to  the  spot 
where  St.  Ursula  and  her  companions  were  buried.  He  is  represented 
in  the  episcopal  dress,  holding  in  his  hand  the  model  of  a  church. 
The  dove  is  his  attribute.     November  12,  a.  d.  660. 

St.  Cuthbert  of  Durham  was  a  shepherd  in  his  youth,  in  the 
valley  of  the  Tweed.  In  his  childhood  an  angel  appeared  to  him  and 
urged  him  to  a  pious  life.  He  was  instructed  at  a  monastery  near  his 
home,  where  St.  Aidan  was  the  prior.  One  night,  as  Cuthbert  tended 
his  flocks,  he  saw  a  dazzling  light,  and  looking  up  beheld  angels  bear- 
ing St.  Aidan  to  heaven.  He  then  entered  the  monastery,  and  soon 
became  a  noted  preacher.  He  not  only  made  converts,  but  he 
preached  much  to  such  Christians  as  lived  unworthy  lives.  It  was 
said  tliat  when  he  appealed  to  them  an  angelic  brightness  shone  in 
his  face,  and  none  could  deceive  him  or  conceal  the  sin  of  their  hearts. 
He  wandered  among  the  mountainous  regions,  and  preached  in 
villa'>;es  considered  almost  inaccessible.     He  later  dwelt  on  an  island 


92  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

on  the  coast  of  Northumberland,  called  afterwards  Holy  Island,  in 
memory  of  iiis  sanctity.  Here  he  supported  himself  upon  what  he 
raised  by  his  own  labor,  and  it  is  said  that  angels  brought  him  bread 
from  Paradise.  He  was  afterwards  Bishop  of  Lindisfarne.  Miracu- 
lous things  are  told  of  him  during  his  life,  and  of  his  relics  after 
his  death.  His  shrine  became  a  place  of  pilgrimage.  His  relics 
are  now  in  the  cathedral  of  Durham.  His  attribute  is  the  head 
of  St.  Oswald,  buried  in  the  tomb  of  St.  Cuthbert,  when  the  former 
was  slain  in  battle.  He  also  has  the  otter,  which  was  said  to  have 
licked  him  into  life  when  he  had  almost  perished  from  cold  and  expo- 
sure.    March  20,  a.  d.  687. 

St.  Cyprian,  and  St.  Justina  of  Antioch  {Ital  San  Cipriano 
il  Mago  e  Santa  Giustina ;  Fr.  St.  Cyprien  le  Magicien  et  Ste. 
Justine).  The  histories  of  these  saints  cannot  be  separated.  Saint 
Justina  was  an  exceedingly  lovely  and  virtuous  Christian  maiden  of 
Antioch.  Her  father  was  a  priest  of  the  idols,  but  she  converted  both 
him  and  her  mother  to 'her  own  fiiith.  A  nobleman  named  Aglaides 
sought  her  love  in  vain,  and  at  length  he  applied  to  the  famous 
magician  Cyprian,  for  his  aid  in  winning  her  heart.  Now  Cyprian 
was  very  learned  in  astrology  and  necromancy,  and  doubted  not  hia 
power  to  overcome  all  obstacles.  But  when  he  saw  Justina,  he  also 
loved  her  and  determined  to  win  her  for  himself.  He  sent  demons 
to  her  to  fill  her  mind  with  unchaste  and  voluptuous  images,  but  she 
remained  unaffected.  At  length  he  sent  the  prince  of  evil  spirits  to 
tempt  her,  but  all  without  success.  Then  Cyprian  was  so  astoiwshed 
at  the  power  of  her  virtue  that  he  resolved  to  serve  the  God  of  this 
pure  maiden.  So  he  went  to  her  filled  with  repentance,  and  confessed 
himself  a  Christian.  Justina,  in  her  joy  at  so  great  a  victory  for 
Christ,  cut  off  her  beautiful  hair,  and  made  of  it  an  oflering  to  the 
Virgin.  Cyprian  was  soon  baptized,  and  became  as  famous  for  his 
piety  as  he  had  before  been  for  his  wickedness.  AVhcn  the  last  perse- 
cution of  the  Christians  broke  out,  the  Governor  of  Antioch  com- 
manded those  saints  to  be  thrown  into  boiling  pitch,  which,  by  a 
miracle,  had  no  power  to  harm  them.  He  then  sent  them  to  Diocle- 
tian at  Nicomedia,  who  ordered  them  to  be  instantly  beheaded. 
Septeuiber  20,  a.  d.  1^0 1. 

St    Cyprian  of  Carthage,  and  archbishop  of  that  place,  per- 
ished in  the  persecution  of  Valerian.     His  martyrdom  is  one  of  the 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  93 

most  authentic  in  history.  He  is  very  rarely  represented  in  works  of 
art;  and  perhaps  the  picture  by  Paul  Veronese,  in  the  Brera  at  Milan, 
is  the  only  one  likely  to  come  within  the  observation  of  the  traveller. 
September  16,  a.  d.  258. 

St.  Cyril  {Lat.  S.  Cyrillus;  Ital.  San  Cirillo ;  Fr.  St.  Cyrille). 
This  saint  was  Patriarch  of  Alexandria  from  the  year  412  to  444.  He 
wrote  much  upon  theology,  and  was  earnestly  engaged  in  the  contests 
of  the  early  Church.  Some  non-Catholic  writers  have  sought  to 
connect  him  with  the  terribly  cruel  murder  of  Hypatia,  the  female 
mathematician  and  philosopher.^  He  is  as  highly  venerated  in  the 
Greek  as  in  the  Latin  Church,  and  is  the  only  bishop  whom  they 
represent  with  his  head  covered.     January  28,  a.  d.  444. 

St.  Cyril  and  St.  Methodius.  St.  Cyril  was  a  philosopher, 
and  St.  Methodius  an  artist.  They  were  of  the  Order  of  St.  Basil,  and 
were  sent  by  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople  as  missionaries  to  the 
people  who  lived  on  the  borders  of  the  Danube.  Bogaris,  the  King 
of  Bulgaria,  desired  Methodius  to  paint  a  picture  in  the  hall  of  his 
palace  that  should  impress  his  subjects  with  awe.  Methodius  painted 
the  "Last  Judgment,"  with  Christ  enthroned  and  surrounded  with 
angels  ;  also  the  happiness  of  the  blessed  and  the  miseries  of  the  lost. 
When  finished,  the  king  desired  an  explanation  of  this  terrible  picture  ; 
and  Cyril  gave  it  with  such  power  that  the  monarch,  and  all  who 
listened,  were  converted.  So  they  labored  among  the  neighboring 
nations  with  success.  Methodius  painted,  and  Cyril  so  explained  his 
pictures  as  to  convince  large  numbers  of  the  truth  of  the  Christian 
faith.  St.  Cyril  also  learned  their  languages,  made  an  alphabet  for 
them,  and  translated  a  part  of  the  Gospels.     He  obtained,  too,  the 


1  The  Rev.  Alban  Butler,  in  his  sketch  of  St.  Cyril's  life,  touching  on  the 
deplorable  murder  of  Hypatia,  says  :  "  She  was  much  respected  and  considered 
by  the  governor,  and  often  visited  him.  The  mob,  which  was  nowhere  more 
unruly  or  more  fond  of  riots  and  tumults  than  in  that  populous  city,  the  second 
in  the  world  for  extent,  upon  a  suspicion  that  she  incensed  the  governor  against 
their  bishop,  seditiously  rose,  pulled  her  out  of  her  chariot,  cut  and  mangled  her 
flesh,  and  tore  her  body  in  pieces  in  the  streets,  to  the  great  grief  and  scandal  of 
all  good  men,  especially  of  the  pious  bishop,  Cyril."  And  the  same  authority 
adds  ;  "  It  is  very  unjust  in  some  moderns  to  charge  him  [Cyril]  as  conscious  of 
so  horrible  a  crime,  which  shocks  human  nature.  .  .  .  The  silence  of  Orestes  and 
of  the  historian  Socrates,  both  his  declared  enemies,  suffices  to  acquit  him." 


94  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

privilege  of  celebrating  mass  in  the  Sclavonic  tongue.  These  saints 
are  generally  represented  together ;  St.  Cyril  with  a  book  and  St. 
Methodius  with  a  tablet  on  which  is  a  picture.  The  Greeks  honor 
St.  Cyril  March  I),  and  St.  Methodius  May  11  ;  the  Latins,  both 
on  March  9.  They  are  honored  as  the  apostles  of  the  Sclavos.  Their 
millenary  was  lately  celebrated  with  great  splendor. 

Dale  Abbey,  the  legend  of.  This  legend  is  represented  in  five 
pictures.  In  the  first  the  abbot  shoots  the  deer  with  a  cross-bow, 
because  it  had  eaten  his  wheat.  In  the  second  the  foresters  com- 
plain of  hira,  and  the  king  commands  him  to  be  brought  before  him. 
In  the  third  and  fourth  he  is  in  the  presence  of  the  king,  who  grants 
Ijim  as  much  land  as  he  can  encircle  by  a  furrow  from  sun  to  sun ; 
the  plough  to  be  drawn  by  two  wild  stags  from  the  forest.  In  the 
fifth  he  plouLchs  with  the  stags. 

St.  Damian.     See  St.  Cosmo. 

St.  Daria.     See  St.  Chrysanthus. 

Dead  Nuns,  the  legend  of.  There  were  two  noble  ladies  who 
joined  the  sisterhood  of  St.  Scholastica.  They  were  fond  of  scandal 
and  vain  talk.  St.  Benedict,  hearing  of  this,  reproved  them,  and  sent 
them  word  that  unless  they  reformed  he  would  punish  them.  For 
a  while  they  remembered  the  admonition,  but  relapsed  again,  and  so 
died.  They  were  buried  in  the  church  near  the  altar.  One  day,  as 
Benedict  celebrated  mass,  when  the  deacon  said,  "Let  those  who  are 
in  penance  and  forbidden  to  partake,  depart  and  leave  us,"  these  nuns 
arose  from  their  graves,  and  with  sad  appearance  left  the  church.  This 
occurred  every  time  the  mass  was  celebrated  there,  until  St.  Benedict, 
pitying  them,  prayed  for  their  souls,  and  they  rested  peacefully. 

St.  Delphine.     See  St.  Eleazar  de  Sabran. 

St.  Denis  of  France  {Lat.  S.  Dionysius  ;  Ital.  San  Dionisio 
or  Dionigi  ;  />.  St.  Denis).  The  truth  of  the  legend  which  makes 
St.  Denis  the  same  with  Dion3'sius  the  Arcopagite  will  not  be  con- 
firmed upon  a  critical  examination  of  facts ;  but  as  they  are  thus 
represented  in  works  of  art,  it  must  be  given  to  make  the  repre- 
sentations of  them  understood.  Dionysius  was  an  Athenian  phi- 
loso))l)er.  He  was  a  judge  of  the  Areopagus,  and  for  his  wisdom  in 
heavenly  things  was  called  Oeo'oro^o?,  Thuosophus.  He  went  to  Kgypt 
to  study  astrolc^ry,  and  was  at  Ilciiopolis  at  the  time  of  the  crucilixion 
of  our  Lord.     He  was  greatly  troubled  at  the  darkness  which  endured 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  95 

for  three  hours,  because  he  could  not  understand  it.  He  was  con- 
verted at  Athens  by  St.  Paul,  and  became  first  bishop  of  that  city. 
In  his  letters  he  tells  of  his  visit  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  at  Jerusalem  ; 
his  astonishment  at  the  dazzling*  light  which  surrounded  her,  and  his 
presence  at  her  death  and  burial.  He  went  to  Rome  and  attended  St. 
Paul  at  his  martyrdom.  He  was  then  sent  by  Pope  Clement  to  preach 
in  France  with  two  deacons,  Rusticus  and  Eleiitherius.  After  his 
arrival  in  France  he  was  called  Denis.  He  found  Paris  a  beautiful 
city,  seeming  to  him  like  another  Athens.  Pie  dwelt  here,  and  by  his 
preaching  converted  many.  He  sent  missionaries  to  all  parts  of 
France  and  to  Germany.  At  length  he  was  accused  of  his  faith  to  the 
Roman  Emperor,  who  sent  Fescennius  to  Paris  to  seize  him,  with  his 
companions.  They  were  all  condemned  to  death.  At  the  place  of  ex- 
ecution St.  Denis  knelt  dowai  and  prayed,  and  the  deacons  responded 
in  a  loud  Amen.  Their  bodies  were  left  as  usual,  to  be  devoured  by 
■wild  beasts.  But  St.  Denis  arose,  and  taking  his  head  in  his  hands 
walked  two  miles,  to  the  place  now  called  Mont  Martre,  the  augels 
singing  as  he  went.  This  miracle  converted  many,  and  among  them 
Lactia,  wife  of  Lubrius,  who  was  afterwards  beheaded  also.  The 
bodies  of  St.  Denis  and  his  deacons  were  buried,  and  a  church  erected 
over  them  by  St.  Genevieve ;  but  in  the  reign  of  Dagobert  they  were 
removed  to  the  abbey  of  St.  Denis.  He  is  the  patron  saint  of  France, 
and  his  name  the  war-cry  of  its  armies.  The  oriflamme,  the  standard 
of  France,  was  consecrated  on  his  tomb.  When  Stephen  II.  became 
pope,  the  name  of  this  saint  began  to  be  venerated  in  all  Europe. 
Stephen  had  been  educated  at  the  monastery  of  St.  Denis.  There  is 
a  beautiful  life  of  the  saint  in  the  royal  library  of  Paris,  with  a 
large  number  of  exquisite  miniatures.  His  attribute  is  the  severed 
head.     October  9. 

St.  Diego  d'Alcala  was  an  humble  Capuchin  brother  in  a  con- 
vent of  Alcala.  It  is  said  that  the  infant  Don  Carlos  was  healed 
through  his  intercession,  when  severely  wounded.  Philip  II.  pro- 
moted his  canonization  on  this  account.-'  About  IGOO  a  wealthy 
Spaniard  residing  at  Rome  dedicated  a  chapel  to  this  saint  in  the 
church  of  San  Giacomo  degli  Spagnuoli,  which  was  painted  by  Anni- 

1  Other  wonders  were  also  wrought  through  St.  Diego's  intercession  ;  for,  as 
our  readers  know,  three  miracles  of  the  first  class  are  required  for  the  canoniza- 
tion of  a  saint. 


96  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

bal  Caracci  and  Albano,  who  was  then  his  pupil.  These  frescos  were 
transferred  to  canvas.  There  are  also  pictures  of  St.  Diego  by 
Murillo,  the  most  important  being  in  the  Louvre. 

St.  Digna.  See  St.  Afra  of  Augsburg,  whose  handmaiden  she 
was. 

St.  Dominick  {Lat.  S.  Dominions,  Pater  Ordinis  Pra^dicatorum ; 
Jtal.  S;m  Domenico,  San  Domeuico  Calaroga  ;  Fr.  St.  Dominique, 
Fondateur  des  Fr^res  Precheurs ;  Sp,  San  Dt>mingo).  This  saint 
was  a  Castilian  of  noble  descent,  of  the  house  of  Guzman.^  His 
mother  dreamed,  before  his  birth,  that  she  had  brought  forth  a  dog 
with  a  torch  in  his  mouth.  At  his  baptism  a  star  descended  from 
heaven  to  crown  his  brow.  He  studied  at  Valencia,  and  became,  at 
the  instance  of  the  Bishop  of  Osma,  a  regular  canon  of  St.  Augus- 
tine at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years.  When  thirty  years  old  he 
went  to  France,  and  being  shocked  at  the  heresies  of  the  Albigenses, 
he  preached  with  such  effect  as  to  convert  many.  He  went  the 
second  time  to  France  with  his  bishop  to  conduct  to  Castile  the 
young  princess  who  was  to  espouse  Prince  Ferdinand.  Her  death, 
just  as  he  arrived,  was  a  great  shock  to  him ;  and  thenceforth  his  zeal 
and  religious  devotion  were  greatened.  He  obtained  permission  from 
the  pope  in  1207  to  preach  to  the  Albigenses  in  the  Vaudois.  He 
wrote  out  the  articles  of  faith ;  and  it  is  said  that  when  this  book 
was  tlirown  in  the  fire  it  would  not  remain,  but  leaped  out  uninjured. 
As  the  heretical  books  were  burned,  this  miracle  had  the  effect  to 
convince  and  convert  many.  As  to  the  persecution  of  the  Albigenses, 
it  is  certain  that  he  was  extremely  earnest  in  his  prayers  and  endeav- 
ors to  secure  the  triumph  of  the  Church.'^  He  united  witli  several 
priests,  who  went  about  to  preach  barefoot.  From  this  arose  his 
order,  which  was  confirmed  in  1216.  St.  Dominick,  by  heavenly 
inspiration,  instituted  the  devotion  of  the  rosary.  A  rosary  should 
have  fifteen  large,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  small  beads.  The  large 
represent  the  Paternosters,  and  the  small  the  Ave-Marias.  Tiiis  use 
of  the  rosary  was  a  great  assistance  to  St.  Dominick  in  his  labors. 

1  The  ex-Empress  Eugenie  of  France  is  a  seion  of  the  house  of  Guzman. 

2  St.  Dominick  maintained  that  to  labor  with  success  anionff  these  heretics, 
persuasion  and  good  example  should  be  employed,  and  by  no  means  terror. 
Himself  knew  no  other  arms  than  those  of  instruction,  jiatience,  penance,  fasting, 
watching,  tears,  and  prayer.     He  was  a  zealous  advocate  of  popular  education. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  97 

In  1218  St.  Dominick  was  commissioned  by  the  pope  to  reform  the 
nunneries  at  Rome.  From  this  originated  the  Order  of  the  Domini- 
can Nuns,  for  whom  he  made  a  rule,  which  they  adopted.  He 
founded  many  convents  in  the  principal  cities  of  Europe,  none  of 
which  are  more  famous  than  the  splendid  one  of  his  order  in  the 
Rue  St.  Jacques  at  Paris.  It  is  from  the  situation  of  this  convent 
that  the  Dominicans  were  called  Jacobins  in  France.  At  length  he 
returned  to  his  convent  at  Bologna,  where  he  died  of  a  fever,  brought 
on  by  his  arduous  labors.  Two  years  after  his  death  he  was  canon- 
ized, and  his  remains  placed  in  the  magnificent  Area  di  San  Do- 
menico  at  Bologna.  It  is  said  his  true  portrait  was  brought  from 
heaven  by  St.  Catherine  and  St.  Mary  Magdalen  to  a  convent  of  Do- 
minican nuns.  His  attributes  are,  the  dog  by  his  side ;  the  star,  on 
or  above  his  head ;  a  lily  in  one  hand  and  a  book  in  the  other.  There 
are  many  interesting  legends  of  his  wonderful  miracles.  At  one  time, 
it  is  said,  he  restored  to  life  the  young  Lord  Napoleon,  nephew  of 
Cardinal  Stephano  di  Fossa-Nova,  when  he  had  been  killed  by  a  fall 
from  his  horse.  When,  at  the  convent  of  St.  Sabina,  they  had  not 
sufficient  food,  St.  Dominick  pronounced  the  blessing  upon  the  little 
they  had,  and  immediately  two  angels  appeared  with  bread  and  wine, 
which  was  celestial  food,  and  sweeter  than  any  of  earth.  St.  Domi- 
nick had  a  vision,  in  which  he  saw  the  Saviour  with  the  arrows  of 
divine  wrath  in  his  hand.  The  Virgin  asked  him  what  he  would  do ; 
and  when  he  replied  that  he  would  destroy  the  earth  on  account 
of  its  wickedness,  she  besought  him  to  wait,  and  presented  to  him  St. 
Francis  and  St.  Dominick,  saying  that  they  would  traverse  the  whole 
earth  and  subdue  it  to  Christ.     August  4,  a.  d.  1221. 

St.  Donate  of  Arezzo  {Lat.  S.  Donatus ;  Fr.  St.  Donat).  This 
saint  was  of  noble  birth,  and  in  childhood  a  companion  of  the  Em- 
peror Julian.  Julian,  after  his  apostasy,  put  many  Christians  to 
death,  and  among  them  the  father  of  Donatus.  Donatus  then  fled 
from  Rome  to  Arezzo,  and  had  for  his  companion  the  holy  monk 
Hilarion.  They  preached,  and  performed  many  miracles.  At  one 
time  a  tax-gatherer  of  the  province  went  on  a  journey,  and  left  the 
money  which  he  had  with  his  wife,  Euphrosina.  Slie  died  suddenly, 
and  told  no  one  where  she  had  hidden  the  treasure.  When  her 
husband  returned  he  was  in  great  distress ;  and  fearing  to  be  pun- 
ished as  a  defaulter,  he  appealed  to  Donatus,  who  went  to  the  tomb 

7 
I 


98  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

and  called  upon  Euphrosina  to  tell  him  where  the  money  was.  She 
answered  him,  and  this  was  heard  by  many.  Donatus  was  made 
Bishop  of  Arezzo  ;  and  as  he  celebrated  the  Holy  Mass,  the  cup 
which  held  the  wine,  and  which  was  of  glass,  was  broken  by  some 
idolaters.  When  Donatus  prayed,  it  was  made  whole,  and  not  a 
drop  of  wine  spilled.  This  miracle  was  the  cause  of  the  conversion 
of  so  many  that  the  pagans,  in  their  rage,  tortured  and  beheaded 
him.  Hilarion  was  scourged  to  death,  and  with  Donatus  is  interred 
beneath  the  hi^h  altar  of  the  cathedral  of  Arezzo.     August  7. 

St  Dorothea  of  Cappadocia,  virgin  and  martyr  {Ital.  Santa 
Dorotea ;  Fr.  Ste.  Durothee).  She  was  a  noble  virgin,  and  the 
most  beautiful  of  the  city  of  Cajsarea.  She  was  a  Christian,  and 
devoted  to  prayer,  fasting,  and  almsgiving.  Sapritius  or  Fabricius, 
the  governor,  hearing  of  her  beauty,  sent  for  her,  and  threatened  her 
with  death  if  she  would  not  worship  the  idols.  She  depicted  to  him 
the  joys  of  heaven,  and  declared  that  she  preferred  the  death  which 
would  give  her  these  to  a  life  of  idolatry.  She  was  taken  to  prison  ; 
and  two  sisters,  Calista  and  Christeta,  who  had  renounced  Christian- 
ity through  fear  of  torture,  were  sent  to  induce  Dorothea  to  follow 
their  example.  But  she  so  influenced  them  that  they  left  her,  declar- 
ing themselves  again  Christians.  Then  Fabricius  commanded  the 
sisters  to  be  burned,  and  Dorothea  to  witness  their  sufferings.  She 
encouraged  them  through  all,  and  was  then  condemned  fo  be  tor- 
tured and  beheaded.  She  endured  the  tortures  with  great  courage. 
As  she  was  led  to  execution,  a  young  law^-er,  called  Theophilus,  jeered 
her,  and  asked  her  to  send  him  fruits  from  the  gardens  to  which  slie 
was  going.  She  told  him  that  his  request  should  be  granted.  AVhen 
at  the  place  of  execution,  she  knelt  and  prayed ;  and  suddenly  there 
was  beside  her  a  beautiful  angel  with  a  basket,  in  which  were  three 
roses  and  three  apples.  She  commanded  him  to  take  them  to  Theo- 
philus, and  tell  him  she  had  sent  them,  and  should  await  him  in  the 
gardens  from  which  they  came.  Then  she  was  beheaded.  When 
Theophilus  received  the  fruit  and  tasted  of  it,  he  too  became  a  Chris- 
tian, and  at  last  suffered  martyrdom.  Her  attributes  are  roses  in 
the  hand  or  on  the  head,  or  a  basket  with  three  apples  and  three 
roses  held  by  an  attendant  angel.     February  0,  a.  d.  303. 

St.   Dunstan  was  born  in  925.      He  became  a  monk  at  (Glaston- 
bury.    He  was  a  fine  scholar,  a  remarkable  musician,  a  painter,  and 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  99 

a  worker  of  metals.  He  went  to  court  when  quite  young,  and  was  a 
great  favorite  of  King  Edmund,  who  admired  his  musical  talents.  He 
had  such  an  influence  over  the  king  that  he  was  accused  of  sorcery  and 
driven  from  the  court.  One  day,  as  the  king  Wcis  liunting  the  stag, 
his  dogs  leaped  down  a  fearful  precipice.  The  king  feared  that  he 
could  not  rein  in  his  horse  and  must  follow  to  death.  He  praved, 
and  thought  of  his  cruelty  to  Dunstan.  The  horse  stopped  on  the 
bank.  The  king  then  begged  Dunstan  to  return  to  liim.  It  is  related 
that  as  the  saint  labored  one  night  at  his  forge,  the  Devil  came  to 
tempt  him  in  the  form  of  a  beautiful  woman.  Dunstan  seized  the 
Devil  by  the  nose  with  his  red-hot  tongs.  One  day  his  harp  hanging 
on  the  wall  played  to  him  the  hymn,  "  Gaudete  animi."  Dunstan 
w\as  made  the  king's  treasurer  and  Abbot  of  Glastonbury  ;  but  when 
Edwin  came  to  the  throne  and  lived  a  shameless  life  with  Elgiva,  he 
drove  Dunstan  again  from  court.  When  Edgar  was  king,  the  saint  was 
again  honored.  He  was  made  Bishop  of  Worcester,  and  then  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury.  In  960  he  went  to  Rome,  and  received  great 
honors  as  Primate  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  nation.  On  his  return  he 
founded  numerous  schools  and  monasteries.  He  relates  in  his  writ- 
ings a  vision  in  which  he  beheld  his  mother  espoused  to  Christ  while 
angels  sang  around  them.  One  of  the  angels  asked  Dunstan  why 
he  did  not  sing  ;  and  when  he  replied  that  he  was  ignorant  and 
could  not  sing,  the  angel  taught  him  the  hymn,  and  the  next  day 
he  could  sing  the  same  to  his  monks.     May  19,  a.  d.  988. 

Duns  Scotus  was  a  Franciscan,  and  a  rival  in  theological  con- 
troversy of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas.  Their  opinions  gave  rise  to  the 
parties  called  Thomists  and  Scotists.  He  was  one  of  the  most  zealous 
defenders  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Immaculate  Conception.  He  was  an 
Englishman,  and  went  to  Paris  about  1304,  where  he  wrote  his  com- 
mentaries. He  was  sent  to  Cologne  in  1308,  where  he  was  received 
with  great  honor ;  and  there  he  died  in  the  same  year.  There  was 
a  fable  of  his  having  been  buried  alive,  which  is  disputed  by  good 
authorities. 

St.  Ebba  of  Coldingham.  This  saint  was  abbess  of  the  largest 
monastery  which  existed  in  her  time,  and  had  monks  as  well  as 
nuns  under  her  rule.  About  the  j^ear  870  there  was  an  incursion  of 
Danish  pirates,  and  St.  Ebba  was  alarmed  for  her  chastity  and  that 
of  her  nuns.     She  assembled  them  in  the  chapter-house  and  made  an 


100  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

appeal  to  them ;  she  tlieu  took  a  razor  and  cut  off  her  nose  and  upper 
lip.  Her  example  was  followed  by  the  whole  community ;  and  when 
the  pirates  came,  the  frightful  spectacle  the  nuns  presented  protected 
their  virginity.  The  pirates  in  their  disappointment  set  fire  to  the 
monastery,  and  the  nuns  perished  in  the  flumes.     April  2. 

St.  Edith  of  Wilton,  daughter  of  King  Edgar.  Her  mother 
was  a  beautiful  nun,  AVilfrida,  whom  the  king  took  from  her  convent 
by  force.  As  soon  as  she  could  escape  from  him  she  returned,  and 
Edith  was  born  in  the  nunnery.  She  refused  to  go  to  court,  and  was 
celebrated  for  her  sanctity,  learning,  and  beauty.  She  spent  the  for- 
tune her  father  gave  her  in  founding  a  nunnery  at  Wilton,  which  has 
since  become  the  seat  of  the  Earls  of  Pembroke.  Edith  was  remark- 
able for  the  costliness  and  elegance  of  her  attire ;  and  when  she 
was  rebuked  for  it  by  St.  Ethelwold,  she  insisted  that  this  was  of  no 
importance,  for  God  regarded  the  heart  alone,  and  that  he  could  read 
beneath  any  garment.  *'For,"  answered  she,  "pride  may  exist  under 
the  garb  of  wretchedness ;  and  a  mind  may  be  as  pure  under  these 
vestments  as  under  your  tattered  furs."  ^  She  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-three.  She  lived  to  see  the  consecration  of  the  church  she 
had  built  in  honor  of  St.  Denis,  but  died  forty-three  days  after.  St. 
Dunstan  was  warned  of  her  approaching  end,  while  celebrating  mass 
on  tlie  occasion  of  the  consecration.     September  16,  a.  D.  984. 

Edith  of  Polesworth.     See  St.  Modwena. 

St.  Edmund,  king  and  martyr.  The  ecclesiastical  legend  of 
King  Edmund  is  this  :  Ragnar  Lodbrog  was  a  Dane  of  royal  blood. 
He  went  out  fowling  in  a  small  skiff,  and,  a  storm  coming  on,  he  was 
driven  upon  the  English  coast  in  Norfolk.  He  was  taken  to  King 
Edmund,  who  much  admired  the  strength  of  the  Dane  and  his  skill 
as  a  huntsman,  while  Lodbrog  was  dazzled  by  the  accomplishments 
of  the  young  king  and  the  splendor  of  his  court.  The  huntsman  of 
Edmund  became  jealous  of  the  Dane,  and  killed  him.  A  dog  wliich 
Lodbrog  had  reared  watched  over  his  body  until  it  was  discovered. 
The  huntsman  confessed  his  crime,  and  as  a  punishment  was  put 

1  So  far  the  lepjend,  on  which  some  poems  have  been  made.  But,  as  our 
readers  know,  tlie  dress  of  nuns  of  every  order  is  rcgulat*^!  by  a  strict  rule  ;  and 
the  legendary  answer  of  the  nun  Editli  to  St.  Ethelwold,  thou^di  embodying  an 
unquestioned  truth,  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  humble  submission  of  Christian 
virgins  to  the  authorities  of  the  Church. 


ILLUSTRA  TE]yAN'\ARTr      ■  ;  '",  i  >i  i  ,^  •  JOl 

adrift  in  the  same  boat  which  had  brought  Lodbrog  to  England.  He 
was  carried  to  the  home  of  the  Dane,  where  his  two  sons  seeing 
the  boat  of  their  father  and  supposing  him  to  be  murdered,  were 
about  to  kill  the  huntsman.  But  he  told  them  that  Edmund  had 
done  the  deed.  Then  they  swore  vengeance,  and  collecting  a  great 
fleet,  went  to  invade  England.  They  landed  in  Northumbria,  and 
destroyed  everything  within  their  reach  as  they  advanced  to  the 
territory  of  Edmund.  They  demanded  of  him  one  half  his  kingdom. 
He  took  counsel  with  Bishop  Humbert,  and  determined  never  to 
submit  to  a  heathen  power.  He  then  prepared  for  battle,  and  met 
the  Danes  near  Thetford,  where  they  fought.  King  Edmund  was 
surrounded  by  his  enemies,  and  with  Humbert  took  refuge  in  the 
church.  They  were  dragged  out,  and  the  king  was  bound  to  a  tree 
and  scourged ;  his  body  was  then  filled  with  arrows  from  the  Danish 
bows,  and  finally  he  w^as  beheaded.  Humbert  also  was  martyred.  At 
length,  when  the  Christians  who  had  hidden  came  forth,  they  found 
a  large  gray  wolf  watching  the  head  of  the  king.  This  they  buried 
in  a  spot  whereon  were  afterwards  built  a  church  and  monastery, 
and  then  a  town,  which  was  called  in  memory  of  the  king,  Bury  St. 
Edmunds,  which  name  it  still  retains.     November  20,  a.  d.  870. 

St.  Edward  the  Martyr  was  the  son  of  King  Edgar.  One 
day  when  he  was  hunting  he  went  to  Corfe  Castle,  where  his  step- 
mother, Elfrida,  was  living  with  his  brother  Ethelred.  His  mother 
received  him  kindly,  but  commanded  one  of  the  servants  to  stab 
him  in  the  back  as  he  was  drinking.  He,  finding  himself  wounded, 
rode  away  and  died  in  the  forest.  Elfrida  and  her  son  gave  him 
a  shameful  burial,  and  instituted  rejoicings  at  his  death.  But  God 
shed  a  celestial  light  on  his  grave,  and  those  who  came  to  it  were 
healed  of  all  infirmities.  Multitudes  made  pilgrimages  to  his  grave; 
and  when  St.  Dunstan  reproved  Elfrida  as  a  murderess,  she  was 
struck  with  remorse,  and  desired  herself  to  go  there.  But  when  she 
mounted  her  horse  for  the  jom-ney  he  would  not  move,  and  no 
power  could  make  him ;  so  Elfrida,  perceiving  the  will  of  God  in 
this,  walked  barefooted  to  the  place.  His  remains  were  removed  with 
great  honors  to  the  nunnery  at  Shaftesbury,  which  Alfred  the  Great 
had  endowed.     March  18,  a.  d.  978. 

St.  Edward,  king  and  confessor.  This  saint  was  son  of  King 
Ethelred,  who  had  before  his  birth  two  other  sons.     But  when  it  was 


10?.  LEGENDS' AND  STORIES 

near  the  time  for  this  third  one  to  be  born,  Ethelred  called  upon  his 
council  to  decide  who  should  succeed  to  the  throne.  St.  Dunstan 
was  present,  and  he  prophesied  the  early  death  of  those  already  bom; 
80  the  council  decided  in  favor  of  the  expected  prince,  who  was  after- 
wards the  saint  of  whom  we  speak.  All  the  nobles  took  the  oath 
of  fealty  to  him  dans  le  sein  de  sa  mere.  The  coronation  of  Edward 
waii  on  Easter  Day,  1043.  He  freed  his  subjects  from  the  tax  called 
Danegelt,  because  when  a  large  sum  of  this  tribute  was  brought  to 
the  palace,  and  the  king  was  called  to  look  at  it,  he  beheld  a  rejoic- 
ing demon  dancing  upon  the  money.  This  saint  had  many  visions 
during  his  life,  and  also  possessed  miraculous  powers  of  healing.  His 
history  is  told  in  bas-reliefs  in  his  chapel  in  Westaiiuster  Abbey. 
January  5,  a.  d.  106G. 

St.  Eleazar  de  Sabran  was  a  Franciscan.  His  mother  was  a 
woman  of  remarkable  character  and  great  piety.  He  was  early 
married  to  Dolphine,  heiress  of  Glendenes.  She  was  as  pious  as 
her  husband ;  and  they  were  both  enrolled  in  the  Third  Order  of 
St.  Francis.  As  Count  of  Sabran,  he  administered  his  affairs  with 
great  ability  and  justice.  He  died  at  twenty-eight.  St.  Delphine 
then  resided  for  some  time  with  Sancha,  Queen  of  Naples,  but  at 
last  withdrew  to  perfect  seclusion.  St.  Eleazar  is  represented  in  art 
holding  a  package  of  papers  to  commemorate  a  noble  act  of  his  life. 
After  the  death  of  his  father  he  found  papers  which  had  been  written 
to  induce  his  father  to  disinherit  him,  and  which  attributed  to  him 
all  manner  of  evil.  Instead  of  taking  revenge  on  the  writer  of  these 
calimmics,  he  sent  for  him,  and  burned  the  letters  in  his  presence. 
He  til  us  made  of  his  bitter  enemy  a  devoted  friend. 

St.  Elisabeth,  mother  of  John  the  Baptist  {Lat.  Sancta  Elisa- 
betha ;  Ital.  Santa  Elisal)eta  ;  Sp.  Santa  Isabel ;  Ger.  Die  Heilige 
Elizabeth).  The  Hebrew  signification  of  this  name  is  "  worshipper 
of  God,"  or  "consecrated  to  God."  The  Gospel  describes  Elisabeth  as 
walking  in  all  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  blameless ;  a  woman 
"well  stricken  in  years"  when  she  was  "exalted  to  a  miraculoiis 
motherhood,"  and  chosen  for  high  honors  by  God.  She  should  not, 
however,  be  represented  as  decrepit  and  wrinkled,  but  as  elderly, 
dignified,  and  gracious.  She  appears  as  an  important  personage  in 
art,  and  yet  in  most  cases  as  the  accompaniment  to  tliose  of  still 
greater  importance.     She  is  first  seen  in  pictures  of  the  Visitation  or 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  103 

Salutation,  when  with  prophetic  utterance  she  exclaims,  "  Whence 
is  this  to  me,  that  the  mother  of  my  Lord  should  come  to  me?" 
Then  in  the  representations  of  the  birth  of  John  the  Baptist,  and  in 
various  scenes  from  his  life  ;  one  of  which  illustrates  the  legend 
that  as  Elisabeth  fled  from  the  massacre  at  Bethlehem,  a  huge  rock 
opened  and  received  her  and  St.  John,  whom  she  bore  in  her  arms, 
into  its  bosom,  where  they  were  concealed  until  the  danger  was 
past.  Again  St.  John  is  taking  leave  of  his  parents  to  go  away  into 
his  life  in  the  desert.  But  the  Holy  Families  in  which  St.  Elisabeth 
appears  are  far  more  numerous  than  any  other  representations  of 
her,  and  are  by  far  the  most  pleasing.  Elisabeth  is  frequently  pre- 
senting her  child  to  the  Saviour,  and  teaching  him  to  kneel  and  fold 
his  hands  as  if  in  worship.  The  matronly  age,  the  dark  complexion, 
and  coifed  head  of  Elisabeth  are  in  beautiful  contrast  with  the  virgin 
bloom,  the  abundant  hair,  and  the  youthful  grace  of  the  Madonna. 

St.  Elizabeth  of  Hungary  {Lat.  Sancta  Elizabetha,  Mater 
Pauperum ;  Ital.  Santa  Elisabeta  di  Ungheria ;  Fr.  Madame  Ste. 
Elisabeth  ;  Sp.  Santa  Isabel ;  Ger.  Die  Heilige  Elizabeth  von  Un- 
garn,  or  von  Hessen  ;  Die  liebe  Frau  Elizabeth).  This  legend  is 
almost  entirely  historical,  with  just  enough  of  the  marvellous  to 
entitle  it  to  a  place  in  "legendary  lore."  She  was  the  daughter  of 
the  King  of  Hungary,  and  was  born  in  1207.  The  year  of  her  birth 
was  full  of  blessings  to  her  country,  and  from  her  earliest  days  she 
was  regarded  as  an  especial  favorite  of  God  and  one  who  should 
bring  good  to  her  people.  The  first  words  she  uttered  were  those 
of  pra^-er,  and  at  three  years  old  she  showed  her  charity  by  giving 
her  toys  and  garments  to  those  less  fortiuiate  than  herself.  "When 
Herman  of  Thuringia  heard  of  these  things,  he  desired  this  princess 
as  a  wife  for  his  son.  Prince  Louis,  and  sent  an  embassy  to  solicit 
her  of  her  father.  His  ambassadors  were  of  great  rank;  and  with 
them  went  the  noble  Bertha  of  Beindeleben,  with  a  train  of  knights 
and  ladies,  and  many  rich  presents.  Their  request  was  granted, 
and  the  little  Elizabeth,  only  four  years  old,  was  given  to  them. 
Her  father  gave  her  a  silver  cradle  and  bath,  a  rich  wardrobe  and 
a  train  of  twelve  maidens.  He  also  sent  to  Herman  and  his  wife 
Sophia  many  splendid  and  precious  things  which  he  had  obtained 
from  Constantinople.  The  princess  was  received  at  the  castle  of 
Wartburg,   at  Eisenach,   with  great  and  imposing  ceremony.     The 


104  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

next  day  she  was  betrothed  to  Louis ;  and  being  laid  in  the  same 
ciadle,  tliey  smiled  and  played  in  such  a  manner  tljat,  it  was  con- 
sidered an  omen  of  a  happy  marriage.  From  this  time  they  were 
never  separated,  and  grew  together  in  perfect  love,  Elizabeth  was 
soon  seen  to  be  very  different  from  all  other  children  ;  her  mind 
was  devoted  to  heavenly  things,  and  charity  was  her  chief  charac- 
teristic. As  long  as  Herman  lived,  Elizabeth  was  happy,  and  he 
was  her  true  friend  and  father;  but  after  his  death,  which  happened 
when  she  was  nine  years  old,  the  mother  and  sister  of  Prince  Louis 
did  all  they  could  to  prevent  the  marriage,  because  they  did  not  like 
her  devotion  and  piety.  But  although  she  suffered  many  insults, 
she  never  resented  them,  and  Louis  remained  true  to  her  in  spite  of 
all.  Sometimes  he  feared  she  was  too  pure  and  holy  to  be  any  other 
than  the  bride  of  Heaven ;  but  at  length  when  he  was  twenty  the 
marriage  took  place.  They  lived  a  life  of  most  perfect  love,  but 
she  continued  all  her  religious  penances.  Louis  sometimes  remon- 
strated, but  he  secretly  felt  that  he  and  his  people  should  receive  in 
some  way  great  blessings  from  the  sanctity  of  his  wife.  Her  con- 
fessor had  told  her  that  the  imposts  for  the  support  of  the  royal 
table  were  unjust,  and  from  that  time,  while  others  feasted,  she  ate 
bread  and  drank^only  water;  but  one  day  Louis  took  the  cup  from 
her  hand  and  tasted,  and  he  thought  he  drank  wine  more  delicious 
than  he  had  ever  had  before.  He  questioned  the  cup-bearer,  who 
declared  he  had  given  Elizabeth  only  water.  Louis  said  nothing,  for 
he  believed  that  angels  attended  her.  At  another  time,  when  Louis 
entertained  a  company  of  princes,  he  desired  Elizabeth  to  dress  mag- 
nificently. When  she  was  attired  and  about  to  enter  the  apartment 
of  Louis,  a  wretched  beffgar  soufdit  her  charitv.  She  told  him  she 
could  not  attend  to  him  then,  but  he  entreated  her  in  the  name 
of  John  the  Baptist.  Kow  this  was  her  patron  saint,  and  she  could 
not  refuse  what  was  asked  in  his  name  ;  so  she  tore  off  her  costly 
mantle  and  gave  the  beggar,  and  sought  her  chamber  fearing  what 
her  husband  might  say.  Just  then  Louis  came  to  seek  her,  and  as 
he  hesitated  whether  to  blame  or  praise  her,  a  servant  brought  the 
mantle,  saying  she  had  found  it  hanging  in  its  place.  Then  Louis 
led  her  forth  to  his  guests  with  his  heart  full  of  love  and  wonder  ; 
and  a  bright  light  was  about  her,  and  the  jewels  on  her  mantle 
glowed  with  celestial  brilliancy.     Tradition  tells  us  that  the  beggar 


ILLUSTRATED   IN  ART.  105 

was  none  other  than  our  Blessed  Lord.  Another  time,  when  visiting 
the  poor  of  Eisenach,  she  found  a  leprous  child  whom  none  would 
care  for.  She  carried  him  in  her  arms  and  laid  him  in  her  own  hed. 
This  enraged  the  mother  of  Louis ;  and  when  he  returned  she  told 
him  what  sort  of  person  was  in  his  bed  in  his  absence.  Almost  out 
of  patience,  he  went  to  see ;  and,  behold  !  when  he  looked  he  found 
a  sweet  infant,  and  as  he  gazed  it  vanished  away  from  his  sight. 
This,  too,  was  believed  to  have  been  Jesus.  When  Louis  was  absent, 
Elizabeth  spent  all  her  time  in  visiting  the  poor ;  and  as  she  one 
day  descended  to  Eisenach  carrying  food  in  her  robe,  she  met  her  hus- 
band. The  path  was  icy,  and  she  bent  with  the  weight  of  her  burden. 
When  Louis  demanded  what  she  did,  she  did  not  like  to  show  him, 
and  pressed  her  robe  more  firmly  together.  He  insisted,  and  opened 
her  mantle,  when  he  saw  only  red  and  white  roses,  more  lovely  than 
the  earthly  roses  of  summer;  and  this  was  in  winter.  Then  he. was 
about  to  embrace  her ;  but  such  a  glory  seemed  to  surround  her  that 
he  dared  not  touch  her,  but  he  put  one  of  the  roses  in  his  bosom 
and  went  on,  thinking  of  all  these  wonders.  In  1226  Louis  went  to 
Italy  with  the  Emperor  Frederick  II.  A  great  famine  afflicted  all 
Germany,  but  especially  Thuringia.  Elizabeth  was  untiring  in  her 
charities  and  labors.  The  famine  was  followed  as  usual  by  a  plague  ; 
and  again  she  labored,  with  her  own  hands  tending  the  sick.  She 
founded  several  hospitals,  and  went  constantly  from  one  to  the  other. 
She  exhausted  the  public  treasury,  and  gave  away  her  own  robes 
and  jewels.  When  Louis  returned,  his  counsellors  made  great  com- 
plaints of  Elizabeth;  but  he,  only  thankful  that  she  was  still  spared 
to  him,  said,  "Let  her  do  as  she  will."  But  she,  kissing  him  many 
times,  said,  "  See !  I  have  given  to  the  Lord  what  is  his,  and  he  has 
preserved  to  us  what  is  thine  and  mine!"  The  next  year  Louis 
went  to  the  Crusades.  The  grief  of  the  hearts  of  this  husband  and 
wife  at  parting  was  such  that  Elizabeth  was  carried  home  more  dead 
than  alive ;  for  she  had  journeyed  two  days  with  him  before  she 
could  find  strength  to  leave  him.  It  was  their  final  parting;  for 
Louis  died  in  Calabria,  in  the  arms  of  the  Patriarch  of  Jerusalem. 
He  commanded  his  retainers  to  carry  his  body  to  his  wife,  and  to 
defend  her  and  his  children,  even  with  their  lives,  from  all  wrong. 
Her  grief  was  so  great  that  God  alone  could  sustain  her  by  miracu- 
lous comfort.     The   brother  of  Louis,   Henry,   now  drove  her  forth 


106  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

with  her  children,  and  took  possession  of  the  Wartburg.  It  was 
winter  time;  slio  carried  her  newly  born  baby  in  her  arms,  and 
was  followed  by  her  three  other  children  and  her  women.  It  is 
said  that  she  fell,  and  that  one  whom  she  had  cared  for  in  the 
hospital  mocked  at  her.  She  found  a  shelter  for  her  children,  and 
supported  herself  by  spinning  wool.  But  when  the  knights  returned 
with  the  body  of  Louis,  they  obliged  Henry  to  accept  the  office  of 
regent  until  her  son  Herman  could  reign ;  and  Elizabeth  received 
as  her  dower  the  city  of  Marbourg.  And  now  she  gave  herself  up 
to  the  direction  of  her  rigid  confessor,  Conrad.  She  lived  a  life  of 
penitential  humiliation,  and  even  separated  herself  from  her  children 
lest  she  should  love  them  too  well.  She  drank  the  very  dregs  of  the 
cup  of  penance,  and  clothed  in  rags  and  mocked  by  the  children  in 
the  streets  as  a  mad  woman,  she  spun  wool  until  she  had  no  strength 
remaining.  It  is  said  that  she  was  comforted  by  celestial  beings, 
and  that  even  the  Blessed  Virgin  talked  with  her.  When  dving  she 
sang  sweet  hymns,  and  at  last  she  said,  "  Silence,"  and  died.  Tra- 
dition says  that  angels  bore  her  spirit  to  heaven,  and  as  they  as- 
cended were  heard  to  chant,  "  Regnum  mundi  contempsi."  She  was 
twenty-four  years  old,  and  Louis  had  been  dead  three  years  and  a 
lialf.  She  was  canonized  four  years  after  her  death.  Her  shrine  in 
the  church  at  Marbourg,  which  bears  her  name,  was  visited  by 
pilgrims,  and  its  stone  steps  worn  away  by  their  knees.  In  the 
Reformation  so-called,  this  shrine  was  desecrated,  and  her  remains 
scattered,  no  one  knows  where.  The  shrine  is  still  preserved  as  a 
curiosity  in  the  sacristy  of  the  church.  The  castle  of  Wartburg  is 
in  ruins.  There  are  many  pictures  of  this  lovely  saint ;  but  the  most 
celebrated  was  painted  l)y  Murillo  for  the  church  of  the  Caritad,  at 
Seville.      November   10,   a.  D.    1231. 

St.  Elizabeth  of  Portugal  {Sp.  Sant*  Isabel  de  Paz).  This 
Elizabeth  was  the  daugiiter  of  the  King  of  Arngon,  and  the  grand- 
niece  of  I'^lizabeth  of  Hungary.  She  was  married  to  Dionysius,  King 
of  Portiigal.  He  was  most  faithless  and  cruel  as  a  husband,  but  a 
good  king  to  his  subjects.  After  forty  years  of  great  domestic  trials 
she  was  left  a  widow.  She  died  at  sixty-five,  and  can  bo  distinguished 
from  the  other  St.  Elizal)eth  of  whom  we  have  sjxtken,  by  her  age, 
as  the  former  is  always  represented  as  yoiujg,  while  this  t)no  is  old 
and   venerable.     She  was  so   patient,  and  so  often  reconciled  the 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  lOT 

troubles  of  her  family,  as  to  acquire  in  Spain  the  title  "  Sant'  Isabel 
de  Paz."  She  is  the  heroine  of  Schiller's  "Fridolin,"  though  the 
scene  is  in  Germany,  and  her  name  "Die  Gratin  von  Savern,"  July 
8,  A.  D.   133G. 

St.  Eloy  of  Noyon  {Lat.  S.  Eligius  ;  Eng.  St.  Loo  ;  Ital.  Sant' 
Alo,  or  Lo  ;  Sant'  Eligio).  This  saint  was  born  at  the  village  of 
Chatelas.  He  was  of  humble  origin.  He  was  at  school  at  Limoges, 
and  there  learned  the  trade  of  a  goldsmith,  in  which  he  so  excelled 
that  when  he  went  to  Paris  he  attracted  the  attention  of  the  treas- 
urer of  the  king,  Clotaire  IL  The  king  desired  to  have  a  throne  of 
gold  set  with  jewels,  and  it  was  important  to  find  a  skilful  and  an 
honest  man.  Eloy  vras  selected,  and  of  the  material  furnished  him 
for  one  throne  he  made  two.  The  king  was  so  pleased  with  the 
beauty  of  the  work  and  the  probity  of  the  workman,  that  he  from 
that  time  employed  him  in  State  affairs.  His  successor,  Dagobert, 
made  Eloy  Master  of  the  Mint.  He  cut  the  dies  for  the  money,  and 
there  are  known  to  be  thirteen  pieces  bearing  his  name.  He  was  at 
length,  after  the  death  of  Dagobert,  made  Bishop  of  Noyon.  He  was 
remarkable  for  his  eloquence,  and  was  sent  to  preach  in  Belgium  ;  and 
by  some  he  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first  to  carry  the  Gospel 
to  Sweden  and  Denmark.  Before  his  Episcopal  consecration,  while 
holding  a  high  place  at  court,  he  still  labored  as  a  goldsmith,  and 
made  many  beautiful  shrines  for  saints,  and  holy  vessels  for  churches. 
The  Devil  tempted  St.  Eloy,  as  he  did  so  many  of  the  saints  ;  and  it 
is  said  of  him,  as  of  St.  Dunstan,  that  he  seized  the  Devil's  nose  with 
his  hot  tongs.  One  of  the  miracles  attributed  to  this  saint,  and  rep- 
resented on  the  exterior  of  Or-San-Michele  at  Florence,  is  that  a  horse 
being  brought  to  him  to  be  shod,  which  was  possessed  by  the  Devil, 
he  cut  off  the  leg  and  quietly  put  on  the  shoe  ;  this  being  done,  he 
made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  replaced  the  leg,  to  the  great  astonish- 
ment of  all.  He  is  patron  of  Bologna  and  Noyon,  of  goldsmiths  and 
all  other  meta-1-workers,  and  of  farriers  and  horses.  December  I, 
A.  D.   659. 

St.  Elphege.     See  St.  Alphege. 

St.  Enurchus,  or  Evurtius,  was  sent  into  France  by  the  pope, 
to  attend  to  the  redeeming  of  captives.  The  people  were  electing  a 
Bishop  of  Orleans.  A  dove  alighted  twice  upon  the  head  of  Enurchus ; 
and  this  was  considered  as  showing  so  remarkable  sanctity  in  him 


108  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

thiit  lie  was  made  bishop,  which  office  he  lield  more  tlian  twenty 
veins.  i)\ni  of  the  luiracles  which  he  did,  was  this  :  wl»en  laying  tlie 
foundations  of  his  Church  of  the  Holy  Cross,  he  directed  the  men  to 
dig  in  a  certain  place,  and  they  there  found  a  pot  of  gold  which  was 
enough  to  pay  for  the  church.  September  7,  a.  d.  310,  or  about  that 
time. 

St.  Ephesus  and  St.  Potitus  are  represented  on  the  walls  of 
the  Campo  Santo  at  Pisa,  and  seem  to  belong  especially  to  that  city. 
St.  Ephesus  was  an  officer  under  Diocletian,  and  was  sent  to  destroy 
all  the  (christians  in  Sardinia.  But  he  was  so  warned  by  a  dream 
that  he  himself  became  a  Christian,  and  turned  his  arms  against  the 
pagans.     He  suffered  martyrdom  with  his  friend  Potitus. 

St.  Ephrem  of  Edessa,  who  on  account  of  his  writings  is  one 
of  the  Fathers  of  the  Greek  Church,  was  a  hermit  of  Syria.  He  is 
represented  in  a  very  curious  Greek  picture,  called  the  "Obsequies  of 
St.  Ephrem,"  which  is  one  of  the  best  representations  of  hermit  life. 
Greek  festival,  January  28  ;  Latin,  February  1,  about  378. 

St.  Erasmus  of  Formia  {Ital.  Sant'  Elmo,  or  Erasmo ;  Sp. 
St.  Ermo,  or  Eramo  ;  Fr.  St.  Elme).  This  saint  suff'ered  a  most  hor- 
rible martyrdom  under  Diocletian  at  Formia,  now  Mola  di  Gaeta. 
He  so  withstood  all  common  tortures  that  he  was  cut  open  and  his 
entrails  wound  oft'  like  a  skein  of  silk  on  wheels.  He  was  a  bishop, 
and  is  represented  as  such,  with  the  im})lement  of  his  torture  in  his 
hand.  There  is  an  altar  dedicated  to  him  in  St.  Peter's,  over  which 
a  mosaic  represents  his  death.  It  is  a  copy  of  a  picture  by  Poussin. 
St.  Erasmus  is  invoked,  under  the  name  of  Elmo,  by  the  mariners  on 
the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  in  Spain,  Sicily,  and  Calabria,  and 
is  believed  to  have  power  over  the  tempests.  At  Naples  a  monastery 
and  fortress  bear  his  name.     June  3,  a.  d.  29G. 

St.  Ercolano  (Herculanus)  was  Bishop  of  Perugia  at  the  time  of 
the  invasion  of  the  Goths  under  Totila.  He  labored  hard  and  encour- 
aged the  people  through  the  siege  of  Perugia  ;  and  when  the  city  was 
taken,  i)y  order  of  Totila,  he  was  beheaded  on  the  ramparts.  He  was 
thrown  into  the  ditch,  and  was  found  lying  beside  a  dead  child,  who 
was  buried  in  the  same  grave  with  the  saint, 

St.  Ethelberga.  Of  this  saint  there  is  little  known  but  the  one 
fact  that  she  was  the  abbess  of  the  first  P>enedictiue  nunnery  in 
England,  which  was  at  Barking,  in  Essex.     October  11. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  109 

St.  Ethelreda.  This  saint  is  also  called  St.  Audrey.  She  was 
the  foundress  of  the  magniiicent  cathedral  of  Ely.  Her  father  was 
Ina,  King  of  the  East  Angles ;  and  when  she  married  Toubert,  or  Tou- 
berch,  Prince  of  the  Gervii,  the  isle  of  Ely  was  her  dowry.  She  had 
a  second  husband,  Egfrid,  King  of  Northunibria ;  but  after  living  with 
him  in  a  state  of  continency  for  twelve  years,  she  took  the  veil  at 
Coldingham,  with  his  consent.  King  Egfrid  later  repented  his  com- 
plaisance, and  attempted  to  drag  her  from  the  convent.  She  fled  to  a 
rocky  point  called  St.  Ebb's  Head.  Egfrid  pursued  her ;  but  the  tide 
suddenly  rose,  and  made  the  rock  inaccessible.  He  married  'another 
wife.  St.  Ethelreda  crossed  the  Humber  with  two  virgins,  who 
watched  beside  her  while  she  slept,  and  had  a  miraculous  dream,  in 
which  she  thought  that  her  staif,  being  stuck  in  the  ground,  had  put 
forth  branches  and  leaves,  and  become  a  large  tree.  A  miracle  was 
w^rought  through  her  intercession  about  four  hundred  years  after  her 
death.  A  wicked  man,  Britstan,  being  very  sick,  repented,  and 
desired  to  dedicate  himself  to  God  in  the  monastery  at  Ely ;  but  on 
his  way  thither  he  was  arrested  and  imprisoned.  He  implored  the 
aid  of  St.  Ethelreda ;  and  at  night  she,  with  St.  Benedict,  came  to 
him,  and  when  she  touched  his  fetters  they  fell  from  his  feet.  After 
being  buried  sixteen  years  in  the  common  cemetery,  she  was  placed 
in  a  beautiful  sarcophagus  of  marble,  which  was  probably  a  relic  of 
the  Eomans,  but  the  people  believed  it  to  have  been  wrought  for  the 
saint  by  angels,     June  23,  a.  d.  679. 

St.  Eugenia  was  the  daughter  of  Philip,  Proconsul  of  Egypt  in 
the  reign  of  Commodus.  She  was  very  learned.  She  was  converted 
to  Christianity,  put  on  the  attire  of  a  man  and  became  the  monk 
Eugenius.  She  went  to  Rome,  and  was  put  to  death  in  the  time  of 
the  Emperor  Severus.     December  25. 

St.  Eulalia  of  Merida,  The  story  of  this  saint  is  told  by  Pru- 
dentius.  Eulalia  was  but  twelve  years  old  at  the  time  of  the  publi- 
cation of  the  Edict  of  Diocletian.  She  went  to  the  prefect  who  judged 
the  Christians,  and  reproached  him  for  his  cruelty  and  impiety.  The 
governor  immediately  seized  her,  and  placed  on  one  side  of  her  the 
instruments  of  torture,  and  on  the  other  the  offerings  for  the  idol. 
She  trampled  the  offerings  under  her  feet,  threw  down  the  idol,  and 
spat  at  the  judge.  She  was  then  tortured  to  death;  and  as  she  died, 
a  white  dove  issued  from  her  mouth  and  flew  to  heaven.     She  is  much 


no  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

venerated  in  Spain,  and  is  buried  at  Merida.     Another  St.  Eulalia  is 
buritMj  at  Barcelona.     December  10. 

St.  Eunomia.     See  St.  Afra,  of  Augsburg. 

St.  Euphemia  of  Chalcedonia  (6V.  'Ay.  Ev^ry/xia;  significa- 
tion, "prai.se;"  Jtal.  Sant'  Kufemia;  Fr.  Ste.  Eupht-mie).  She  was  a 
Greek  saint,  and  in  the  Eastern  Church  is  styled  Great;  for  such  was 
the  fjime  of  her  beauty  and  her  courageous  endurance.  There  is  a 
homily  upon  St.  Euphemia  among  the  writings  of  Asterius,  who  wrote 
about  400.  She  suffered  death  not  far  from  Byzantium,  about  307. 
She  was  very  beautiful  in  person.  After  suffering  many  tortures  she 
was  thrown  to  the  lions,  who  licked  her  feet,  and  refused  to  do  vio- 
lence to  her.  Priscus,  her  judge,  was  so  enraged  at  this  that  one  of 
the  soldiers,  who  desired  to  please  him,  killed  the  maiden  with  his 
Bword.  "Within  a  century  from  the  time  of  her  death  there  were  many 
churches  dedicated  to  her,  both  East  and  West.  In  Constantinople 
alone,  there  were  four.  Leo  the  Iconoclast  ordered  her  relics  to  be 
cast  into  the  sea,  but  they  appeared  again  in  the  island  of  Lemnos. 
Hence  different  portions  of  her  remains  were  carried  to  many  places. 
September  16,  a.  d.  307. 

St.  Eustace  {Lat.  S.  Eustatius ;  Ital.  Sant'  Eustachio  ;  Fr.  St. 
Eustache).  Before  his  conversion  this  saint  was  called  Placidus. 
He  was  captain  of  the  guards  of  the  Emperor  Trajan.  He  was  a 
lover  of  hunting;  and  one  day  when  in  the  forest,  he  pursued  a 
white  stag,  which  fled  and  ascended  a  high  rock.  As  he  looked,  he 
saw  between  the  horns  of  the  stag  a  radiant  cross,  and  on  it  an 
image  of  Jesus.  He  fell  on  his  knees  ;  and  the  ffgure  on  the  cross 
spake,  announcing  itself  as  the  image  of  the  lledeemer,  and  demand- 
in;^  of  Placidus  that  he  should  believe.  lie  answered,  **  Lord,  I 
believe."  He  was  then  told  that  he  should  suff'er  much  for  Christ, 
but  i)e  declared  himself  ready  to  do  so.  He  returned  to  his  home, 
and  was  baptized,  together  with  his  wife  and  two  sons,  and  was  called 
Eustace.  Misfortune  soon  came.  His  property  was  taken  by  robbers, 
and  his  wife  carried  away  by  pirates,  and  he  wandered  in  poverty  with 
his  sons.  One  day  he  wished  to  cross  a  stream,  and  swam  over  with 
one  child,  whom  he  left  on  the  bank,  while  he  returned  for  the  otjjer. 
But  when  he  was  in  the  midst  of  the  river,  there  came  on  one  side  a 
lion,  and  on  the  other  a  wolf,  which  beasts  carried  off'  the  two  boys. 
He   went  to  a  village  where  ho  labored  for  his  support  for  lifteeu 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  Ill 

years.  Then  the  Emperor  Adrian  required  the  services  of  Placidus, 
and  searched  for  and  found  him.  He  was  put  again  at  the  head  of  his 
troops,  and  his  honors  restored  to  him  with  new  power  and  riches. 
But  his  heart  was  lonely,  and  he  mourned  for  his  wife  and  sons.  Now 
these  had  been  rescued  from  their  dangers,  and  at  last  they  were  all 
again  restored  to  the  husband  and  father.  Then  Eustace  believed 
that  his  troubles  were  ended  ;  but  soon  Adrian  ordered  a  great  sacri- 
fice to  the  gods,  and  when  Eustace  refused  to  join  in  it  with  his 
household,  he  and  they  were  shut  up  in  a  brazen  bull,  and  a  fire 
kindled  beneath  it.     September  20,  a.  d.  118. 

St.  Eutropia.     See.  St.  Afra  of  Augsburg. 

St.  Ewald  the  Black  and  St.  Ewald  the  Fair.  These 
saints  were  twins,  and  Saxons.  They  left  England  in  the  days  of 
St.  Boniface,  and  went  to  Ireland  to  study.  They  then  went  through 
Friesland  to  Westphalia,  where  they  were  to  preach.  Here  they 
sought  out  the  prince  of  the  country,  and  asked  permission  to  preach  ; 
but  they  were  murdered  hj  the  barbarians  and  their  bodies  thrown 
into  the  river.  A  light  was  seen  above  the  spot  where  they  sank, 
and  their  remains  were  recovered  and  carried  to  Cologne,  and  buried 
in  the  church  of  St.  Cuthbert.  They  are  patron  saints  of  Westphalia. 
October  3,  a.  d.  695  or  700. 

St.  Fabian  was  made  Bishop  of  Rome  in  a.  d.  236.  Eusebius 
says  he  was  chosen  because  a  dove  alighted  on  him  while  the  people 
and  clergy  were  choosing  a  pope.  At  the  time  he  was  a  stranger  to 
all  present.  He  died  a  martyr  in  the  persecution  of  Decius.  January 
20,  A.  D.  250. 

St.  Faith  {Lat.  Sancta  Fides)  was  born  at  Agen,  in  Aquitaine.  She 
had  great  beauty,  but  from  her  youth  was  insensible  to  the  pleasures 
of  tlie  world.  Because  she  refused  to  sacrifice  to  Diana,  while  still 
•very  young,  Dacian,  the  Prefect  of  the  Guards,  subjected  her  to  the 
most  fearful  tortures.  She  was  beaten  with  rods,  then  half  roasted  on 
a  brazen  bed,  and  at  length  beheaded.  The  crypt  of  old  St.  Paul's  in 
London  was  dedicated  in  the  name  of  this  saint.     October  8,  a.  d.  290. 

St.  Faustinas  and  St.  Jovita  {Ital.  San  Faustino  and  San 
Giovita).  These  were  brothers  who  were  converted  by  the  preaching 
of  St.  Apollonius,  at  Brescia.  They  preached,  ministered  to  the  poor, 
and  zealously  devoted  themselves  to  a  Christian  life.  By  the  com- 
mand of  Adrian  they  were  seized  and  thrown  into  the  amphitheatre. 


112  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

The  beasts  did  not  attack  them,  aud  they  were  afterwards  beheaded 
outside  the  walls  of  Brescia,  of  which  city  they  are  the  patrou  saints. 
February  15,  a.  d,  121. 

St.  Felicitas  and  her  seven  sons  (Ital.  Santa  Felicity,  Fr.  Ste. 
Felicitcj.  Tliis  saint  was  of  an  illustrious  Roman  family.  A  widow, 
she  devoted  herself  to  the  care  of  her  children  and  to  pious  works 
of  charity.  She  had  great  riches,  which  made  her  enemies  anxious 
to  accuse  her  as  a  Christian,  so  that  they  might  share  the  spoils ; 
and  her  influence  having  converted  many  to  her  religion,  gave  them 
a  i)0wcrful  plea  against  her.  It  was  in  tlie  time  of  the  great  persecu- 
tion of  the  Emperor  ^larcus  Aurelius  Antoninus.  She  was  called 
before  Publius,  a  prefect  of  Home,  who  commanded  her  to  sacrifice 
to  the  gods  she  had  rejected.  This  she  refused ;  and  when  reminded 
of  the  dangers  which  threatened  her  children  no  less  than  herself, 
she  replied  that  they  knew  how  to  choose  everlasting  life  in  prefer- 
ence to  eternal  death.  She  witnessed  the  tortures  and  death  of  her 
sons,  never  ceasing  to  exhort  them  to  remain  true  to  their  faith. 
Januarius,  the  eldest,  was  scourged  with  thongs  loaded  with  lead. 
Felix  and  Philip  were  beaten  with  clubs.  Sylvanus  was  thrown  from 
a  rock.  Alexander,  Vitalis,  and  Martial  were  beheaded.  After  they 
had  all  thus  suffered  martyrdom,  Felicitas  praised  God  that  she  had 
been  the  mother  of  seven  sons  whom  he  had  deemed  worthy  of  being 
siunts  in  Paradise.  Her  only  desire  was  that  she  might  quickly 
follow  them.  But  she  was  kept  four  months  in  jDrison,  with  the  hope 
that  this  prolonged  agony  would  destroy  her  faith  and  strength.  But 
at  length  she  was  tortured  and  killed.  Some  say  she  "was  beheaded, 
and  others  that  she  was  thrown  into  a  caldron  of  boiling  oil.  In 
art  she  is  represented  as  hooded  or  veiled  like  a  widow,  with  the 
martyr's  palm,  and  surrounded  by  her  sons.  The  representations  of 
this  Roman  family  are  sometimes  confounded  with  those  of  the  Seven 
Maccabees  and  their  heroic  mother.  The  only  guide  by  which  to 
distinguish  them  is  that  St.  Felicitas  was  not  recognized  in  the  East. 
In  Byzantine  art,  seven  young  martyrs  with  their  mother  probably 
represent  the  Jewish  rather  than  the  Roman  saints.  St.  Felicitas  is 
the  patroness  of  male  heirs.  November  23,  a.  d.  173.  Festival  of 
the  sons,  July  10. 

St.  Felix  de  Valois.  Kovember  20,  a.  d.  1212.  See  St.  John 
de  Matha. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  113 

St.  Felix  de  Cantalicio.  This  saint  was  a  native  of  Citta  Du- 
cale  in  Umbria.  He  was  born  in  1513.  His  parents  were  very  poor. 
He  entered  a  Capuchin  monastery  as  a  lay  brotlier.  Later,  he  was 
appointed  qiiestor  of  a  community  of  the  Capuccini  at  Rome.  Here 
for  forty-five  years  he  daily  begged  the  bread  and  wine  for  his  con- 
vent ;  and  such  an  abundance  of  these  articles  was  never  known  there 
as  during  his  time.  On  this  account  he  is  represented  in  the  habit 
of  his  order,  with  a  beggar's  wallet,  which  has  two  ends  like  a  purse 
thrown  over  his  shoulder,-  to  contain  the  alms  begged  for  his  convent. 
The  extreme  devotion  of  his  life  won  the  admiration  not  only  of  the 
brotherhood  to  which  he  belonged,  but  of  all  who  saw^  him.  It  is 
told  of  him  that  as  he  went  out  on  a  stormy  night  to  beg,  he  met  an 
angelic  child,  who  gave  him  a  loaf  of  bread  and  a  benediction,  and 
then  vanished  from  his  sight.  He  w^as  the  first  saint  of  the  Order  of 
the  Capuchins.     May  21,  a.  D.  1587. 

St.  Felix,  or  Felice.     July  12.     See  St.  Nabor. 

St.  Ferdinand  of  Castile  {Sp.  El  Santo  Rey,  Don  Fernando, 
in.).  This  great  king,  warrior,  and  saint  was  the  eldest  son  of 
Alphonso,  King  of  Leon,  and  Berengaria  of  Castile.  His  parents  were 
separated  by  the  pope,  because  being  within  the  prohibited  degrees 
of  consanguinity  they  had  married  without  a  dispensation.  Their 
children  were,  however,  declared  legitimate.  Berengaria  returned  to 
her  father's  court  and  lived  in  retirement.  The  influence  she  had  over 
Ferdinand  was  extraordinary,  and  endured  throughout  his  life.  Be- 
rengaria, when  she  came  into  possession  of  Castile,  gave  up  her  rights 
to  her  son ;  and  when  at  his  father's  death  he  succeeded  to  the  throne 
of  Leon,  the  two  kingdoms  were  united.  Ferdinand  was  married  to 
Joan,  Countess  of  Ponthieu,  who  was  as  obedient  and  loving  to  Beren- 
garia as  was  her  husband.  Ferdinand  fought  bravely  against  the 
Moors,  and  expelled  them  from  Toledo,  Cordova,  and  Seville.  It  is 
related  that,  at  the  battle  of  Xeres,  St.  lago  appeared  at  the  head  of 
the  troops,  conducting  the  fight.  Thousands  of  Moors  were  slain  ;  but 
there  was  only  a  single  Christian  killed,  and  he  was  one  who  had  gone 
into  battle  refusing  to  forgive  an  injury.  At  the  time  of  his  death, 
Ferdinand  w\as  planning  an  expedition  to  Africa.  In  the  "  Annals  of 
the  Artists  of  Spain"  we  are  told  that  he  founded  the  cathedral  of 
Burgos,  "  which  points  to  heaven  with  spires  more  rich  and  deli- 
cate than  any  that  crown  the  cities  of  the  Imperial  Rhine.     He  also 

8 


114  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

begun  to  rel)uiKl  the  cuthedral  of  Toledo,  wliere  duriug  four  hundred 
years  artists  swarmed  and  labored  like  bees,  and  splendid  prelates 
lavished  their  princel}'  revenues  to  make  fair  and  glorious  the  temple 
of  God  intrusted  to  their  care."  When  urged  to  tax  his  people,  in 
order  to  recruit  his  army  and  fill  his  empty  coffers,  he  made  a  reply 
which  rellocts  more  glory  upon  his  character  than  his  victories  or  his 
cathedral  foundations  can  give.  "God,"  he  replied,  "in  whose  cause 
I  fight,  will  supply  my  need.  I  fear  more  the  curse  of  one  poor  old 
woman  than  a  whole  army  of  Moors  !  "  He  died  as  a  penitent,  with  a 
cord  about  his  neck  and  a  crucifix  in  his  hand.  His  daughter,  Elenora, 
was  married  to  Edward  I.  of  England.  She  possessed  the  piety  and 
courage  of  her  father.  It  was  she  who  sucked  the  poison  from  her 
husband's  wound.  When  the  decree  of  Ferdinand's  canonization 
reached  Seville,  the  greatest  religious  festival  ever  held  there  took 
place.  He  was  buried  in  the  cathedral  of  Seville.  There  is  a  por- 
trait of  St.  Ferdinand,  thought  to  be  authentic,  in  the  convent  of  San 
Cleniente  at  Seville.     May  30,  a.  d.  1152. 

St.  Filomena  {Lat.  Sancta  Philumena ;  Fr.  Ste.  Philom^ne). 
Within  the  ])ast  half-century  this  saint  has  gi'own  in  the  popular 
veneration.  ^V'e  know  but  little  of  her  history.  In  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century  a  sepulchre  was  discovered  in  the  Catacomb 
of  Priscilla  at  Rome,  in  which  was  the  skeleton  of  a  young  girl. 
It  was  adorned  with  various  rudely  painted  symbols,  and  a  portion 
of  an  inscription,  the  beginning  and  end  of  which  were  gone.  It 
was,  — 

— lumena  pax  te  cum  fi — 

Those  remains,  supposed  to  be  those  of  a  martyr,  were  placed  in  the 
treasin-y  <if  relic-?  in  tlic  Lateran.  When  Pius  VII.  returned  from 
France,  a  Neapolitan  prelate  was  sent  to  congratulate  iiim.  One 
of  the  priests  in  his  train  begged  for  some  relics,  and  the  remains 
described  above  were  given  him.  The  inscription  was  translated, 
"Saint  Philomena,  rest  in  peace.  Amen."  Another  priest  had  a 
vision,  in  which  St.  Filomena  appeared  with  great  glory,  and  revealed 
that  she  had  K'.jffered  death  for  preferring  the  Christian  faith  and 
her  vows  of  chastity  to  marriage  with  the  emperor,  who  wished  to 
make  her  his  wife.  Afterwards  a  young  artist  was  told  in  a  vision 
that  this  emperor  was  Diocletian ;   but  it  is  also  thought  to  have 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  115 

been  Maximian.  The  priest,  Francesco  da  Lucia,  carried  the  relics 
to  Naples.  They  were  inclosed  in  a  case  made  in  the  form  of  a 
human  body.  It  was  dressed  in  a  crimson  tunic  and  a  white  satin 
petticoat.  The  face  was  painted,  a  garland  of  flowers  put  upon  the 
head,  and  a  lily  and  a  javelin,  with  its  point  reversed,  emblematic 
of  her  purity  and  her  martyrdom,  were  put  in  her  hand.  She  was 
placed,  half  sitting,  in  a  sarcophagus  with  glass  sides.  After  lying 
in  state  in  the  church  of  Sant'  Angiolo,  she  was  carried  in  proces- 
sion to  Mugnano,  amid  the  acclamations  of  the  people,  miracles  being 
wrought  through  her  intercession  on  the  way.  Jewels  of  great  value 
now  decorate  her  shrine.  Her  image  is  found  in  Venetian  churches, 
in  Bologna  and  Lombardy.  At  Pisa,  in  the  church  of  San  Francisco, 
and  at  Paris,  in  the  churches  of  St.  Gervais  and  St.  Merry,  there  are 
chapels  dedicated  to  St.  Filomena.     August  10,  a.  d.  303. 

St.  Fina  of  Gemignano.  This  saint  was  not  a  martyr,  but 
received  the  honor  of  canonization  on  account  of  her  patience  and 
cheerfulness  during  long  and  fearful  sufferings  from  disease.  She 
labored  as  long  as  was  possible  for  the  relief  of  all  the  poor  and 
■wretched  within  her  reach.  She  is  scarcely  known  outside  of  the 
little  town  where  she  dwelt ;  but  there  her  name  is  typical  of  pa- 
tience, fortitude,  and  charity.  She  was  warned  of  her  death  by 
a  vision  of  St.  Gregory,  whom  she  especially  honored,  and  at  the 
moment  of  her  decease  all  the  bells  in  San  Gemignano  were  miracu- 
lously tolled.  As  her  body  was  borne  to  the  grave,  she  raised  her 
hand  as  if  to  bless  her  aged  nurse,  who  from  that  time  was  healed  of 
a  troublesome  disease.  The  life  of  this  saint  is  beautifully  painted 
on  the  chapel  dedicated  to  her  in  the  cathedral  of  San  Gemignano. 
March  12,  a.  d.  1253. 

St.  Flavia  was  the  dausfhter  of  a  Ptoman  Senator,  and  sister  of 
St.  Placidus,  who  was  taken  by  his  father  at  the  age  of  five  years  to 
Subiaco  to  be  educated  by  St.  Benedict.  Flavia  followed  her  brother 
to  Sicily,  whither  he  was  sent  by  his  superior;  and  she,  with  Placidus 
and  thirty  of  their  companions,  was  slain  by  the  barbarians  outside 
of  their  convent  near  Messina.  This  narrative  is  not  considered 
authentic  by  later  Benedictine  writers.     October  5,  a.  d.  540. 

St.  Florian  is  one  of  the  guardian  saints  of  Austria.  He  was  a 
lioman  soldier,  who,  on  account  of  his  Christian  faith,  was  put  to 
death  in  the  reign  of  Galerius.     A  millstone  was  tied  round  his  neck, 


116  LEGENDS  AXD  STORIES 

aud  lie  was  thrown  into  the  river  Enns.  Many  miracles  were  attrib- 
uted to  him,  one  of  which  was  that  with  a  single  pitcher  of  water  he 
extinguished  a  large  conflagration.  Representations  of  this  saint  are 
frequent  in  Austria  and  JJohemia,  and  often  adorn  pumps  and  foun- 
tains. A  magnificent  monastery  bearing  his  name  commemorates 
his  life  and  its  painful  end.  A  picture  of  St.  Florian  by  Murillo  is  in 
St.  Petersburg.     May  4. 

St.  Francesca  Romana.     The  church  dedicated  to  this  saint 
in  Home  was  the  scene  of  her  fasts  and  vigils,  and  is  now  called  by 
her  name  rather  than  that  of  Santa  Maria  Nuova,  which  it  formerly 
bore.     In  the  Torre  de'  Spechi  is  her  convent,  which  has  been  the 
best   school  in  all   Rome  for  the   girls  of  the  higher  classes.     Her 
father   was  Paolo  di   Bassi.     She  was  born   in    1384:.     She  was  ex- 
tremely pious  from   her  childhood,   and   would   have   preferred   the 
veil  of  the  nun  to  that  of  a  bride;    but  her  father  married  her  to 
Lorenzo  Penziano,  a  rich  nobleman.     She  shunned  the  society  and 
pleasures  belonging  to  her  station,  and  devoted  herself  as  far  as  pos- 
sible to  a  religious  life.     Every  day  she  recited  the  entire  Office  of 
the  Virgin,  and  went  in  disguise  to  her  vineyard  beyond  the  gate  of 
San  Paolo  to  gather  fagots,  which  she  brought  on  her  head  into  the 
city,  and  distributed  to  the  poor.     During  the  lifetime  of  her  hus- 
band   she    collected    the    company    of    women    whose    superior   she 
became  after   his  death.     Their    principal    labor  was    teaching   the 
young,  but  the}'  took  no  vows.     She  spent  so  much  time  in  prayer 
that  she  was  frequently  interrupted  by  the  demands  of  her  family. 
Once  it  happened  that  while  reciting  the    Office  of  Our   Lady   she 
was  called  away   by   her  husband    four  times   at   the   same   verse ; 
when  she  returned  the  fifth  time,  she  found  this  verse  written  on 
the  page  in  golden  letters.     This  was  done  by  her  guardian  angel, 
who  attended   her  in  visible  form.     Many  wonderful  works  are  at- 
tributed to  her :   the  raising  of  a  dead  child  to  life,  the  staying  of 
an  epidemic  by  her  prayers,  and  the  increasing  of  bread  by  prayer, 
when  there  was   not  enough  for  the   inmates  of    her   convent,  are 
some  of  the  most  important   evidences  of  her  favor   with   Heaven. 
She  died  of  a  fever  at  the  house  of  her  son,  whom  she  had  gone  to 
comfort  on  the  occasion  of  some  affliction.     Her  fame   was  not    by 
any  means  confined  to  Rome,  but  was  great  in  all  Italy.     March  9, 
A.D.  1440. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  117 

St.  Francis  of  Assisi  (Lat.  S.  Franciscns,  Pater  Seraphicus  ; 
Ital.  San  Francisco  di  Assisi ;  Fr.  St.  Frangois  d' Assise).  St. 
Francis  —  called  "the  Seraphic,"  from  the  fervor  of  his  love  of  God  — 
was  the  founder  of  the  Franciscans,  one  of  the  three  Mendicant 
Orders  of  Friars.  His  father,  Pietro  Bernardone,  was  a  rich  mer- 
chant. His  baptismal  name  was  Giovanni,  but  he  acquired  the 
title  of  Francisco  (the  Frenchman)  from  the  fact  that  his  father 
had  him  early  instructed  in  French  as  a  preparation  for  business. 
In  his  early  years  Francis  was  beloved  for  his  generous  and  com- 
passionate heart,  and  remarkable  for  his  prodigality  and  love  of 
gay  pleasures.  In  a  quarrel  between  the  inhabitants  of  Assisi 
and  those  of  Perugia,  Francis  was  taken  a  prisoner,  and  held  for 
a  year  in  the  fortress  of  Perugia.  On  reaching  home  he  was  very 
ill  for  months,  and  it  was  during  this  sickness  that  his  thoughts 
were  turned  to  the  consideration  of  the  wicked  uselessness  of  the 
life  he  had  lived.  Soon  after  his  recovery  he  met  a  beggar,  in 
whom  he  recognized  one  who  had  formerly  been  known  to  him  as 
rich  and  noble.  Francis  exchanged  garments  with  him,  putting  on 
the  tattered  cloak  of  the  mendicant,  and  giving  him  the  rich  clothes 
in  which  he  was  dressed.  That  same  liight,  in  a  vision,  he  thought 
himself  in  a  splendid  apartment,  filled  with  all  kinds  of  arms  and 
many  rich  jewels  and  beautiful  garments,  and  all  were  marked  with 
the  sign  of  the  cross.  In  the  midst  of  them  stood  Christ,  and  he 
said,  "  These  are  the  riches  reserved  for  my  servants,  and  the 
weapons  wherewith  I  arm  those  who  fight  in  my  cause."  From  this 
Francis  thought  that  he  was  to  be  a  great  soldier,  for  he  knew  not 
as  yet  of  the  spiritual  weapons  Christ  gives  his  disciples.  After- 
wards, when  he  went  to  pray  in  the  half-ruined  church  of  San 
Damiano,  as  he  knelt  he  heard  a  voice  say,  "  Francis,  repair  my 
Church,  which  falleth  to  ruin."  Taking  this  in  its  most  literal  sense, 
he  sold  some  merchandise,  and  took  the  money  to  the  priests  of  San 
Damiano  for  the  repairing  of  their  church.  His  father  was  so  angry 
at  this  that  Francis  hid  himself  many  days  in  a  cave  in  order  to 
escape  from  his  wrath.  When  he  returned  to  the  city  he  was  so 
changed,  so  haggard,  and  so  ragged  that  he  was  not  recognized,  and 
the  boys  hooted  him  in  the  streets.  His  father  believed  him  insane, 
and  confined  him  ;  but  his  mother  set  him  at  liberty,  begging  liim 
at  the  same  time  to  return  to  his  former  mode  of  life,  and  not  to 


118  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

provoke  his  father  and  dis;,'race  them  all  by  his  strange  conduct.  At 
length  his  futlier  took  him  to  the  bishop,  to  be  advised  by  him. 
Wlien  Francis  saw  the  holy  man,  he  threw  himself  at  his  feet  ;  he 
abjured  his  former  life,  and  throwing  his  garments  to  his  father  said, 
*'  Henceforth  I  recognize  no  father  but  Him  who  is  in  heaven.'* 
The  bishop  wept  with  joy  and  admiration ;  and  taking  a  coarse  cloak 
from  a  beggar  who  stood  by,  he  gave  it  to  Francis,  who  gladly 
received  it  as  tlie  first  fruits  of  the  poverty  on  which  he  was 
resolved.  He  was  now  twenty-five  years  old.  The  first  labor  he 
performed  was  that  of  caring  for  the  lepers  in  a  hospital ;  and  this 
was  considered  the  more  meritorious  from  the  fact  that  before  this 
he  could  not  lo(^k  on  a  leper  without  fainting.  The  next  years  of 
his  life  were  passed  in  prayer  and  penitence.  He  wandered  among 
his  native  mountains,  begging  alms,  every  penny  of  which  that  could 
be  spared,  after  supplying  the  imperative  wants  of  nature,  was  given 
for  the  reparation  of  churches.  He  dwelt  in  a  cell  near  the  chapel 
of  Santa  Maria  degli  Angeli ;  and  several  disciples,  attracted  by  the 
fame  of  his  piety,  joined  him  here.  Poor  as  he  was,  his  attention 
was  attracted  to  the  text,  "Take  nothing  for  your  journey,  neither 
staves,  nor  scrip,  nor  bread,  nor  money,  nor  two  coats ;  "  and  he  cast 
about  him  to  see  if  he  had  any  superfluous  comfort.  He  could  find 
nothing  that  he  could  spare,  save  his  leather  girdle ;  and  casting  that 
away,  he  used  instead  a  rope  of  hemp.  This  has  also  been  adopted 
by  his  followers,  from  which  peculiarity  they  are  called  Cordeliers. 
He  preached  with  marvellous  effect,  and  soon  had  many  followers. 
Among  his  female  converts  none  are  of  greater  note  than  the  first, 
Clara  d'  Assisi,  the  beautiful  "  Gray  Sister,"  the  foundress  of  the 
order  of  the  "  Poor  Clares."  The  vow  of  poverty,  the  most  com- 
plete and  absolute,  was  insisted  upon  by  St.  Francis  in  liis  order. 
One  of  tlie  Franciscan  legends  is  that  as  he  journeyed  to  Siena, 
"St.  Francis  was  encountered  by  three  maidens  in  poor  raiment, 
and  exactly  resembling  each  other  in  age  and  appearance,  who 
saluted  him  with  the  words,  'Welcome,  Lady  Poverty!'  and  sud- 
denly disappeared.  The  brethren  not  irrationally  concluded  tliat 
this  apparition  imported  some  mystery  pertaining  to  St.  Francis,  and 
that  by  the  three  poor  maidens  were  signified  Chastity,  Obedience, 
and  Poverty,  the  beauty  and  sum  of  evangelical  perfection;  all  of 
whicli  shone  with  equal  and  consummate  lustre  in  the  man  of  God, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  119 

though  he  made  his  chief  glory  the  privilege  of  Poverty."  This 
legend  has  been  illustrated  by  various  pictures ;  and  Giotto  made 
Poverty  the  bride  of  St.  Francis,  who  did  indeed  woo  the  sufferings 
which  she  brought  with  a  more  devoted  ardor  than  that  with  which 
most  lovers  seek  the  sweet  and  sometimes  glittering  rewards  of  more 
attractive  mistresses.  At  length  Francis  went  to  Rome  to  obtain 
the  confirmation  of  his  order.  At  first  the  pope,  Innocent  III.,  con- 
sidering him  as  an  enthusiast,  repulsed  his  suit.  That  night  in  a 
vision  the  pope  saw  the  walls  of  the  Lateran  tottering,  and  only 
kept  from  flilling  by  the  support  of  the  very  man  to  whom  he 
had  refused  his  aid.  He  immediately  sent  for  Francis,  and  granted 
him  the  privileges  he  desired  for  his  order,  and  full  permission  to 
preach.  The  saint  then  built  cells  for  his  disciples  near  his  own,  and 
gave  his  brotherhood  the  name  of  "  Fratre  Minori,"  to  signify  that 
humility  should  be  their  chief  attribute,  and  that  each  should  strive 
for  the  lowest  rather  than  the  highest  place  ;  while  in  his  own  eyes 
he  was  himself  the  basest  of  men,  and  he  desired  to  be  tljus  con- 
sidered by  all.  His  fear  that  his  disciples  should  seek  any  other 
than  the  deepest  poverty. led  him  to  forbid  the  building  of  any  con- 
vent, and  he  commanded  that  the  churches  built  for  them  should  be 
the  plainest  and  most  inexpensive.  Another  marked  peculiarity  of 
this  holy  man  was  what  is  termed  the  "gift  of  tears."  He  wept 
and  prayed  continually,  on  account  of  his  own  sins  and  those  of  the 
whole  world ;  and  he  resolved  to  go  to  preach  to  the  heathen,  and 
indulged  the  hope  that  God  would  grant  him  the  great  glory  of 
martyrdom.  He  attempted  at  different  times  to  go  to  Syria  and 
Morocco  ;  but  he  was  driven  back  by  a  storm  the  first  time,  and  the 
second,  was  arrested  by  sickness.  But  he  did  many  miracles,  and 
founded  convents  in  Spain.  Ten  years  after  the  establishment  of 
his  order  he  held  the  first  general  chapter,  at  which  there  assembled 
five  thousand  friars.  They  seemed  to  be  thoroughly  inspired  with 
the  spirit  of  their  leader,  and  even  he  found  it  necessary  to  caution 
them  against  an  excess  of  austerities  and  penances.  From  this 
assembly  he  sent  forth  missionaries  to  other  countries,  and  again 
started  himself  to  preach  in  Egypt  and  Syria.  He  succeeded  only 
in  reaching  Damietta,  where  he  was  taken  before  the  sultan,  who 
would  neither  allow  him  to  preach  nor  to  suffer  martyrdom  in  his 
territory,  but  sent  him  back  to  Italy,  looking  upon  him  with  Oriental 


120  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

regard  and  kindness  as  one  insane  or  wanting  in  mental  capacity. 
A  few  yeai-s  later,  having  obtained  from  Pope  Honorius  the  con- 
tirmation  of  his  order,  he  resigned  his  office  as  its  head,  and  retired 
to  a  cave  on  Mt.  Alverna.  Hero  he  had  many  trances  and  vis- 
ions of  our  Saviour  and  his  Blessed  Mother ;  and  it  is  said  that 
the  saint  was  sometimes  raised  into  the  air  in  ecstatic  raptures  of 
devotion.  Here  it  was  that  he  had  the  wonderful  vision,  and 
received  the  especial  marks  of  the  favor  of  God,  which  obtained  for 
him  the  title  of  "the  Seraphic."  "After  having  fasted  for  fifty  days 
in  his  solitary  cell  on  Mt.  Alverna,  and  passed  the  time  in  all  the 
fervor  of  prayer  and  ecstatic  contemplation,  transported  almost  to 
heaven  by  the  ardor  of  his  desires  ;  then  he  beheld  as  it  were  a 
seraph  with  six  shining  wings,  bearing  down  upon  him  from  above, 
and  between  his  wings  was  the  form  of  a  man  crucified.  By  this 
he  imderstood  to  be  figured  a  heavenly  and  immortal  intelligence, 
subject  to  death  and  humiliation.  And  it  was  manifested  to  him 
that  he  was  to  be  transformed  into  a  resemblance  to  Christ,  not  by 
the  martyrdom  of  the  flesh,  but  by  the  might  and  fire  of  Divine 
love.  When  the  vision  had  disappeared  and  he  had  recovered  a 
little  from  its  effect,  it  was  seen  that  in  his  hands,  his  feet,  and 
side  he  carried  the  wounds  of  our  Saviour."  It  is  piously  be- 
lieved that  these  wounds  were  really  impressed  by  a  supernatural 
power.  Francis  in  his  humility  desired  to  conceal  the  great  favor 
and  honor  he  had  received ;  but  notwithstanding  his  endeavors,  tliey 
were  seen  by  many.  His  last  days  were  full  of  suffering.  As  death 
apf)roached,  he  commanded  those  about  him  to  place  him  on  the 
earth.  He  attempted  to  repeat  the  141st  Psalm,  and  at  the  last 
verse,  "  Bring  my  soul  out  of  prison,"  he  breatlied  his  last.  He  had 
requested  that  his  body  should  be  buried  with  those  of  the  malefiic- 
tors,  at  a  place  called  the  Colle  d'  Inferno,  outside  the  walls  of  his 
native  city.  This  request  was  fulfilled  ;  and  as  his  body  was  borne 
past  the  church  of  San  Damiano,  Clara  and  her  nuns  came  out  to 
take  a  farewell  of  all  that  remained  of  him  who  had  shown  her  the 
way  of  religious  perfection.  Only  two  years  passed  before  his  ca'non- 
ization,  and  the  beginning  of  the  church  wliich  covers  his  remains. 
These  are  still  entire  and  unviolated  in  their  tomb,  which  is  in  a 
hollow  rock.  Tliere  are  numberless  legends  connected  with  St. 
Francis,  a  vast  number  of  which  are  written  iu   picture   history. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  121 

Many  of  them  are  illustrative  of  his  love  for  all  lower  animals  and 
even  insects ;  for  he  felt  that  love  of  Christ  in  our  hearts  should  fill 
US  with  sympathy  for  everything  th?tt  can  suffer  pain  or  be  bene- 
fited by  kindness.  When  in  Rome,  he  had  always  with  him  a  pet 
lamb.  One  instance  of  his  tenderness  is  thus  given  :  "  One  day  he 
met  a  young  man  on  his  way  to  Siena  to  sell  some  doves  which  he 
had  caught  in  a  snare ;  and  Francis  said  to  him,  '  0  good  young  man ! 
these  are  the  birds  to  whom  the  Scripture  compares  those  who  are 
pure  and  faithful  before  God ;  do  not  kill  them,  I  beseech  thee,  but 
give  them  rather  to  me;'  and  when  they  were  given  to  him  he  put 
them  in  his  bosom  and  carried  them  to  his  convent  at  Ravacciano, 
where  he  made  for  them  nests,  and  fed  them  every  day  until  they 
became  so  tame  as  to  eat  from  his  hand.  And  the  young  man  had 
also  his  recompense ;  for  he  became  a  friar  and  lived  a  holy  life 
from  that  day  forth."  There  is  in  the  church  at  Assisi  a  picture  of 
St.  Francis,  painted  soon  after  his  death,  under  the  oversight  of  those 
who  had  known  him  well.  It  has  almost  the  value  of  a  portrait. 
October  4,  a.  d.  1226. 

St.  Francis  de  Paula.  This  saint,  though  a  native  of  Paola,  a 
small  city  of  Calabria,  is  more  important  in  France,  and  in  connec- 
tion with  French  history,  than  in  his  own  country.  It  was  for  this 
saint  that  Charles  VIII.  founded  the  church  of  the  Trinitk-di-Monti 
at  Rome.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  went  with  his  parents  to  the  shrine 
of  St.  Francis  at  Assisi.  On  his  return  he  became  a  hermit  and  lived 
in  a  cave  near  Reggio.  His  fame  drew  disciples  about  him,  for  whom 
the  people  built  cells  and  a  little  chapel.  He  called  his  little  baud 
Minimes,  or  the  Hermits  of  St.  Francis,  for  they  followed  the  Fran- 
ciscan Rule,  adding  to  it  even  greater  austerities  than  it  already  pre- 
scribed. They  kept  Lent  all  the  year ;  and  they  called  themselves,  as 
their  title  indicated,  the  least  of  all  the  disciples  of  the  Church.  King 
Louis  XL  of  France  had  heard  of  the  many  wonderful  cures  performed 
for  the  sick  by  St.  Francis  de  Paula,  and  sent  for  him  to  come  to  him 
at  Plessis-le-Tours,  where  he  was  dying.  The  saint  felt  that  he  had 
not  been  summoned  in  the  right  spirit,  and  refused  to  go,  when  Louis 
applied  to  Sixtus  IV.  for  aid  in  the  matter.  At  the  command  of  the 
pope,  Francis  went ;  and  he  was  received  at  Amboise,  by  the  dauphin 
and  court,  with  all  the  honors  possible.  When  he  arrived  at  the 
castle,  the  king  knelt  to  him,  and  prayed  him  to  obtain  from  God  the 


122  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

return  of  health  and  a  longer  life.  Francis  rebuked  him,  and  remind- 
ing him  thut  God  alone  could  give  life  or  death,  and  that  submission 
to  his  will  was  man's  first  duty,  he  performed  for  him  the  last  offices 
of  religion.  Francis  was  kept  in  France  by  Charles  VUI.  uii<l  Louis 
XII.,  and  his  influence  was  very  great.  The  courtiers  gave  him  the 
title  of  "  Le  Bon-homme,"  in  derision  of  his  mode  of  life  ;  but  this 
became  the  title  of  his  order  in  France,  where  his  disciples  became 
very  popular,  and  were  to  the  people  *'  Les  Bons-hommes  "  in  every 
good  sense  of  the  term.  Francis  was  godfather  to  Francis  I.,  and  they 
are  frequently  represented  together  in  pictures.  Before  the  Revolu- 
tion the  effigies  of  Francis  de  Paula  were  very  common  in  France. 
His  tomb  was  broken  open  by  the  Huguenots  in  1562,  and  his  remains 
burnt.  He  died  at  Plessis,  and  Louise  d'Angoideme  prepared  his 
winding-sheet  with  her  own  hands.     April  2,  a.  d.  1507. 

St.  Francis  Borgia  stands  as  the  third  among  the  saints  in 
the  Jesuit  Order.  He  belonged  to  a  Aimily  much  less  illustrious  in 
their  lives  than  in  their  rank.  In  youth  he  was  surrounded  with 
all  that  would  seem  to  make  life  desirable  and  happy,  —  wealth, 
station,  and  power,  —  while  he  was  fondly  in  love  with  his  beautiful 
wife,  and  had  a  large  family  of  promising  children.  But  he  was 
thoughtful  and  melancholy,  and  cherished  in  his  heart  deep  religious 
feeliuir.  Circumstances  combined  to  strengthen  these  emotions.  His 
friend  Garcilasso  de  la  Vega  the  poet  died  ;  he  was  himself  more 
than  once  brought  near  to  death  by  severe  sicknesses.  At  length, 
when  the  Empress  Isabella  died,  it  was  his  duty  to  raise  the  winding- 
sheet  from  her  face  at  the  moment  the  body  was  to  be  buried,  and  to 
swear  to  the  identity  of  the  remains.  He  did  so,  and  took  the  oath,^ 
and  at  the  same  moment  made  another  vow  to  forsake  the  service  of 
the  kings  of  earth,  and  from  that  hour  to  serve  only  the  King  of 
Heaven.  But  this  he  could  not  fulfil  literally  at  once.  He  was 
Governor  of  Catalonia,  and  administered  the  affiiirs  of  the  province 
with  great  care  and  faithfulness ;  but  through  the  acquaintance  of  a 
Jesuit  named  Aroas,  he  became  a  disciple  of  Loyola,  and  corresponded 
with  him.  His  wife  died,  and  he  then  resolved  that  after  providing 
for  his  children  in  the  best  manner,  he  would  renounce  the  world  and 

^  "  Francis,  not  knowing  the  face,  would  only  s\\  ear  it  wns  the  body  of  tlie 
empress,  because,  from  the  care  he  had  taken,  he  was  sure  no  one  could  have 
changed  it  upon  the  road."  —  The  Rev.  Alban  Butler. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  123 

every  human  affection.  For  six  years  he  devoted  himself  to  settling 
his  affairs,  and  then  went  to  Rome  and  became  an  humble  Jesuit. 
He  gave  all  his  life  and  energy  to  perfecting  the  system  of  education 
of  his  order.  For  seven  years  he  was  general  of  his  society,  being  tlie 
third  who  had  held  that  high  position.  He  died  at  Rome,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Gesu,  near  Loyola;  but  his  grandson,  the  Cardinal  Duke 
of  Lerma,  removed  his  remains  to  Madrid.     October  10,  a.  d.  1572. 

St.  Francis  de  Sales.  This  saint  is  famous  for  his  religious 
and  devotional  writings,  which  are  held  in  great  esteem  by  Protes- 
tants as  well  as  by  those  of  his  own  church.  He  was  also  known  as 
very  charitable,  tolerant,  and  gentle  towards  those  who  disagreed 
with  him,  as  well  as  to  those  who  lived  wicked  lives.  When  others 
remonstrated  against  his  charitable  tenderness,  he  would  reply, 
"  Had  Saul  been  rejected,  should  we  have  had  St.  Paul  ] "  He  was 
made  Bishop  of  Geneva  in  1602.  He  was  very  remarkable  for  his 
personal  beauty  and  the  almost  angelic  expression  of  his  f\ice.  Janu- 
ary 29,  A.  D.  1622. 

St.  Francis  Xavier  was  a  Jesuit,  the  friend  and  disciple  of  Igna- 
tius Loyola,  and  was  sent  by  him  as  the  leader  of  a  band  of  mission- 
aries to  the  Indies.  He  was  of  an  illustrious  fiimily,  and  was  born  at 
a  castle  in  the  Pyrenees.  He  studied  at  Paris.  When  young  he  was 
gay  and  enthusiastic  in  his  temperament,  and  it  was  not  until  after 
many  struggles  that  he  was  able  to  take  the  vow  of  obedience  ;  but 
having  once  done  so,  he  was  more  ardent  in  the  pursuit  of  his  duties 
than  he  had  ever  been  in  seeking  the  accomplishment  of  his  own 
desires  and  ends.  He  was  thirty-five  years  old  when  he  went  to  the 
East,  and  most  of  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  spent  in  Japan.  His 
self-denial  and  sufferings  were  very  great.  He  conferred  the  sacra- 
ment of  baptism  upon  an  almost  innumerable  host.  He  appointed 
other  teachers  over  their  churches,  and  saw  the  crucifix  erected  in 
many  homes,  as  a  token  of  the  results  of  his  labors,  and  of  the 
conversion  of  the  heathen  to  the  religion  of  Christ.  He  would  have 
hailed  the  martyr's  death  with  joy ;  but  his  end,  though  a  painful  one, 
was  not  brought  about  by  the  violence  of  his  enemies.  He  attempted 
to  go  to  China.  He  had  succeeded  in  reaching  the  island  of  Sancian, 
where  be  was  seized  with  fever  and  died.  He  suffered  very  greatly 
for  want  of  shelter  and  care.  He  regretted  that  he  must  die  a  natural 
death,  but  at  length  experienced  a  willingness  to  depart  in  God's  way, 


124  LEGEXDS  AND  STORIES 

aud  renounced  his  desire  for  martyrdom,  since  it  was  not  according 
to  the  Divine  will.  His  body  was  interred  near  the  shore,  where 
there  is  still  a  cross  to  mark  the  spot ;  but  his  remains  were  carried 
to  Malacca  and  finally  to  Goa,  where  a  magnificent  church  has  been 
built  to  the  honor  of  this  great  missionary  saint.  December  3, 
A.  D.  1550. 

St.  Frediano  of  Lucca  {Lat,  S.  Frigdianus).  This  saint 
was  a  native  of  Ireland.  He  was  made  Bishop  of  Lucca,  to  which 
place  he  had  gone,  in  5G0.  The  principal  occurrence  in  his  life  which 
is  reprrsented  in  art  is  his  turning  the  course  of  the  river  Serchio, 
when  it  threatened  to  deluge  Lucca.  This  he  did  by  drawing  a 
harrow  along  the  ground,  and  the  river  followed  the  course  he  thus 
mai-ked  out.  His  whole  history  is  painted  in  a  church  at  Lucca 
called  V)v  his  name. 

St.  Gabriel  {Gr. "Ay.  Fa^piTJA ;  Lat.  S.  Gabriel;  ItaL  San  Gabri- 
cllo,  San  Gabriele,  L'  Angelo  Annunziatore  ;  Fr.  St.  Gabriel).  This 
saint,  whose  name  signifies  "God  is  my  strength,"  is  the  second 
in  rank  among  the  archangels,  or  the  seven  who  stand  befoi'e  God 
(liev.  viii.  2).  His  name  is  mentioned  four  times  in  the  Bible  (twice 
in  Daniel,  viii.  16  and  ix.  21  ;  twice  in  Luke,  i.  19,  26),  and  always 
as  a  messenger  bearing  important  tidings.  First,  he  announces  to 
Daniel  the  return  of  the  Jews  from  their  captivity,  and  then  makes 
him  understand  the  vision  which  shows  forth  the  future  of  the  nations; 
next  he  tells  Zacharias  of  the  child  that  should  be  born  to  his  old 
age ;  and  lastly  he  comes  to  tell  the  mother  of  our  Lord  that  she  is 
the  one  highly  favored  and  blessed  among  women.  These  four  authen- 
ticated acts  make  him  of  such  importance  as  to  command  our  deepest 
interest  in  all  relating  to  him  ;  and  in  addition  to  these,  he  is  believed 
to  have  foretold  the  birth  of  Samson  and  that  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  He 
is  venerated  as  the  angel  who  especially  watches  over  cluldbirth.  The 
Jews  believe  him  to  be  the  *'  chief  of  the  angelic  guards "  and  the 
keeper  of  the  celestial  treasury.  The  Mohammedans  regard  him  as 
their  ])atron  saint,  as  their  prophet  declared  hini  to  be  his  inspiring  and 
instructing  angel.  Thus  is  he  high  in  the  regard  of  Jews,  Christians, 
and  the  followers  of  Islam.  It  is  iis  the  angel  of  the  Anniniciation 
that  he  is  most  frequently  and  beautifully  rej)resented.  The  sjiirit  in 
which  these  pictures  are  painted  has  varied  with  the  spirit  in  which 
the  individual  artist  has  contemplated  the  mystery.     In  the  earlier 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  125 

ones  both  the  angel  and  the  Virgin  are  standing,  and  the  manner  of 
the  Virgin  is  expressive  of  hiimihty  and  of  reverence  for  a  superior 
being.  She  has  been  painted  as  kneehng ;  but  after  the  thirteenth 
century  she  becomes  the  one  to  be  exalted.  She  is  from  this  time 
most  frequently  depicted  as  the  Kegina  angelorum ;  and  as  his  queen, 
Gabriel  often  kneels  before  her.  His  attributes  are  the  lily ;  a  scroll 
inscribed  "Ave  Maria,  Gratia  Plena;"  a  sceptre;  and  sometimes  an 
olive  branch,  typical  of  the  *' peace  on  earth"  that  he  announced. 
March  18. 

St.  Gaudentius  of  Novara  was  the  bishop,  and  is  now  the 
patron  saint,  of  that  city. 

St.  Gaudenzio  {Lat.  S.  Gaudentius)  was  one  of  the  early  bish- 
ops of  Rimini.  His  e'^gy  is  found  on  its  coins.  He  was  scourged 
and  then  stoned  to  death  by  the  Arians.  He  is  patron  saint  of 
Rimini.     October  14,  a.  d.  359. 

St.  Geminianus  (Ital.  San  Geminiano).  This  saint  was  Bishop 
of  Modena  in  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century'.  So  great  was  the 
fame  of  his  miracles  that  he  was  sent  for  to  go  to  Constantinople 
to  heal  the  daughter  of  the  emperor,  who  was  possessed  of  an  evil 
spirit.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  Princess  Honoria.  (See 
Gibbon,  35th  chapter.)  When  Modena  was  threatened  with  de- 
struction by  Attila,  King  of  the  Huns,  it  was  spared  on  account 
of  the  intercession  of  Geminianus ;  and  after  his  death  he  preserved 
the  catliedral  from  destruction  by  a  flood.  He  is  represented  on  the 
coins  of  Modena,  and  honored  as  the  patron  saint  and  especial 
protector  of  that  city. 

St.  Genevieve  of  Brabant.  The  story  of  this  saint  has  fur- 
nished the  subject  for  poems,  plays,  and  pictures  which  are  anything 
but  religious  in  their  character.  But  there  are  many  representations 
in  art  of  her  romantic  life  and  sufferings.  She  was  the  wife  of  Count 
Siegfried,  who  was  led  by  his  steward  to  believe  her  to  be  wanting  in 
fidelity  to  himself  and  her  marriage  vows.  He  ordered  her  to  be 
executed,  but  those  charged  with  the  task  of  putting  her  to  death 
left  her  alone  in  the  forest.  She  gave  birth  to  a  child,  which  was 
nursed  by  a  white  doe.  A  number  of  years  having  passed,  her  hus- 
band, while  hunting,  came  to  her  abode.  Explanations  made  plain 
her  innocence.  The  steward  was  really  put  to  death,  while  the  wife 
was  restored  to  her  home  and  happiness.      There  is  a  picture  by 


126  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

Albert  Diirer,  which  is  sometimes  called  by  the  name  of  Genevieve  of 
Brabimt,  but  it  is  in  truth  the  "  Penance  of  St.  John  Chrysostom." 

St.  Genevidve  of  Paris  (J^ng. ;  Ger.  -,  Ital.  Santa  Genoveva). 
This  saint  is  essentially  French,  and  is  of  very  great  importance  and 
interest  among  those  of  mediaeval  times.  The  village  of  Nanterre 
was  her  birthplace,  and  during  her  childhood  she  tended  a  flock  of 
sheep.  When  she  was  about  seven  3'ears  old,  St.  Germain  spent  a 
niirht  at  Nanterre.  The  inhabitants  flocked  to  receive  his  benedic- 
tion.  When  his  eyes  rested  on  the  little  Genevieve,  he  was  made 
aware,  by  inspiratiun,  of  the  sanctity  of  her  character,  and  the  glory 
for  which  God  had  chosen  her.  He  talked  with  her;  and  with  a 
manner  which  at  her  age  showed  her  to  be  the  especial  child  of  God, 
she  declared  her  wish  to  be  the  bride  of  Christ.  The  bishop  hung 
round  her  neck  a  coin  marked  with  the  cross,  and  blessed  her  as  one 
consecrated  to  God's  service.  From  this  time  she  felt  herself  sepa- 
rated from  all  worldly,  and  devoted  to  all  heavenly  interests.  There 
are  man}'  wonderful  stories  told  of  her  childhood.  On  one  occasion 
her  mother  struck  her  in  a  fit  of  anger.  She  was  struck  blind,  and 
remained  so  for  two  months,  when  Genevieve  made  the  sign  of  the 
cross  above  the  water  with  which  she  bathed  her  mother's  eyes,  and 
her  sight  was  restored.  Genevieve  remained  with  her  parents  during 
their  lives,  and  then  went  to  a  relative  in  Paris.  Although  she  did 
not  enter  a  convent,  she  vowed  perpetual  chastity  at  fifteen  years  of 
age.  It  was  many  years  before  God  gave  any  public  and  unmistak- 
able ])roof  of  his  approbation  of  Genevieve.  During  this  time,  while 
some  venerated  her  for  the  holiness  of  her  life,  others  regarded  her 
as  a  pretender  and  hypocrite.  She  was  tormented,  too,  by  demons, 
who,  among  other  things,  constantly  blew  out  the  tapers  she  had 
lighted  for  her  nightly  vigils.  But  she  was  able  to  relight  tlicin  by 
faith  and  prayer.  At  length  Attila  threatened  the  destruction  of  Paris, 
and  the  people  in  their  alarm  would  have  fled  from  the  city  ;  but 
Genevi6ve  addressed  them,  begged  them  to  remain,  and  assured  them 
that  God  would  not  allow  this  ])agan  to  overcome  his  followers.  Ac- 
cording to  her  prediction,  Attila  suddenly  chanjjed  the  course  of  his 
march,  probably  by  directing  it  to  Orleans.  And  again,  when  Chil- 
deric  took  possession  of  Paris,  and  the  people  suflered  from  want  of 
food,  Genevic've  took  command  of  the  boats  which  went  to  Troyes  for 
aid;  a  tempest  arose,  which  was  calmed  by  her  prayers,  and  the  pro- 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  127 

visions  they  had  received  were  brought  safely  to  the  sufferers.  Chil- 
deric  respected  the  saint;  and  Clovis,  even  before  ho  thought  of  being 
a  Christian,  venerated  Genevieve,  and  granted  any  requests  she  made 
of  him.  She  influenced  liis  own  mind  and  that  of  his  queen,  Clotilde, 
so  that  the  first  Christian  church  was  erected,  and  the  pagan  worship 
forbidden  in  the  city  of  Paris.  The  church  was  that  which  is  now 
known  by  her  name.  Ever  after  the  miraculous  manifestation  of  her 
power  in  the  deliverance  of  Paris  from  Attila,  her  prayers  were  sought 
by^l  the  people,  whenever  they  were  afflicted,  and  the  miracles  attri- 
buted to  her  intercession  are  both  wonderful  and  numerous.  One  of 
these  was  the  staying  of  a  j^lague  called  the  mal  arde)Lt.  Until  1747 
there  was  a  little  church  called  Ste.  Genevieve  des  Ardents,  which 
was  on  the  site  formerly  occupied  by  the  house  of  the  saint.  She  was 
eighty-nine  at  the  time  of  her  death.  She  was  buried  beside  King 
Clovis  and  his  wife.  St.  Eloy  made  a  magnificent  shrine  for  the 
remains  of  the  saint ;  but  in  the  Kevolution  it  was  destroyed,  and 
the  relics  burned  in  the  Place  de  Greve.     January  3,  a.  d.  509. 

St.  George  of  Cappadocia  {Lat.  S.  Geoigius ;  Ital.  San 
Giorgio ;  Fr.  St.  Georges,  le  tres-loyal  Chevalier  de  la  Chretiemiet^ ; 
Ger.  Der  Heilige  Jorg,  Georg,  or  Georgius).  The  legend  of  this 
saint,  as  most  frequently  represented  in  art,  makes  him  a  native  of 
Cappadocia.  His  parents  were  of  the  nobility,  and  Christians.  He 
was  a  tribune  in  the  army,  and  lived  in  the  time  of  Diocletian.  There 
is  a  disagreement  as  to  the  scene  of  his  most  wonderful  conquest  of 
the  dragon.  By  some  it  is  believed  to  have  been  Selene  in  Libya; 
by  others,  Berytus,  or  the  modern  Beyrout,  of  Syria;  but  the  story  is 
ever  the  same.  Being  on  his  way  to  join  his  legion,  he  came  to  a 
city  whose  inhabitants  were  in  great  terror  on  account  of  a  terrible 
dragon  who  lived  in  a  marsh  near  the  walls.  This  fearful  monster 
had  devoured  all  the  flocks  and  herds ;  and  the  people,  having  retired 
into  the  city,  gave  him  daily  two  sheep  until  all  they  had  were  gone. 
Then,  in  order  to  prevent  his  approaching  the  city,  they  commenced 
to  send  out  daily  two  children  to  be  devoured  by  this  insatiable 
monster.  Terrible  as  this  was,  it  was  better  than  that  he  should 
come  near  them  ;  for  his  breath  poisoned  the  air  for  a  great  distance 
about  him,  and  all  who  breathed  it  perished  from  its  pestilential 
effects.  The  children  were  chosen  by  lot,  and  were  less  than  fifteen 
years  old.     Now  the  king  had  a  daughter,  named  Cleodolinda,  whom 


128  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

he  loved  exceedingly.  At  length  the  lot  fell  to  her.  The  king  offered 
all  he  possessed,  even  to  the  half  of  the  kingdom,  that  she  might  be 
spared;  but  the  people  said  that  as  it  was  by  his  own  edict  that  their 
children  had  been  sacrificed,  there  was  no  reason  for  allowing  him  to 
withhold  his  own,  and  they  threatened  to  take  the  princess  by  force, 
if  she  was  not  delivered  to  them.  Then  the  king  asked  that  she 
might  be  spared  to  him  eight  days  longer.  This  was  granted,  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time  Cleodolinda  went  forth  to  tiie  sacrifice,  clothed 
in  her  royal  robes,  and  declaring  herself  ready  and  willing  to  dio^for 
her  people.  She  moved  slowly  towards  the  place  where  the  dragon 
came  daily  for  his  victims,  and  the  way  was  strewed  with  the  bones 
of  those  who  had  already  perished.  Just  then  St.  George  came  to  the 
place  ;  and  seeing  her  tears  he  stopped  to  learn  the  cause  of  her 
sorrow.  When  she  had  told  him,  he  said,  "Fear  not,  for  I  will 
deliver  you  !  "  but  she  replied,  "  0  noble  youth  !  tarry  not'  here,  lest 
thou  perish  with  me!  but  fly,  I  beseech  thee!"  Then  St.  George 
answered,  "God  forbid  that  I  should  fly !  I  will  lift  my  hand  against 
this  loathly  thing,  and  will  deliver  thee  through  the  power  of  Jesus 
Christ !  "  Even  as  he  spoke,  the  dragon  approached  them.  Then  the 
princess  again  entreated  him,  "  Fl}^  I  beseech  thee,  brave  knight,  and 
leave  me  here  to  die  ! "  But  St.  George,  making  the  sign  of  the  cross, 
rushed  to  combat  with  the  monster.  The  struggle  was  terrible,  but 
at  lungtli  the  dragon  was  pinned  to  the  earth  by  the  lance  of  the 
brave  knight.  He  tlien  bound  the  dragon  with  the  girdle  of  the 
princess ;  and  giving  it  to  her,  she  was  able  to  lead  the  conquered 
beast  like  a  dog.  In  this  manner  they  approached  the  city.  The 
people  were  filled  with  fear;  but  St.  (ieorge  cried  out,  "Fear  noth- 
ing ;  only  believe  in  the  God  through  whose  might  1  have  conquered 
this  adversary,  and  be  baptized,  and  I  will  destroy  him  before  your 
eyes."  And  in  that  day  wore  twenty  thousand  people  baptized. 
After  this  St.  George  slew  the  dragon  and  cut  off  his  head.  Then 
the  king  gave  him  great  treasures  ;  but  he  gave  all  to  the  poor,  keep- 
ing absolutely  nothing  for  himself,  and  he  went  on  his  way  towards 
Palestine.  This  was  the  time  of  the  publication  of  the  Edict  of  Dio- 
cletian, which  declared  the  persecution  against  the  Christians.  All 
who  read  it  were  filled  with  terror,  but  St.  George  tore  it  down  and 
trod  it  into  the  dust.  For  this  he  was  carried  before  the  proconsul 
Dacian,  and  condemned  to  eight  days'  torture.     He  was  first  bound 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  129 

to  a  cross,  and  his  body  torn  with  sharp  nails ;  next  he  was  burned 
with  torclies,  and  then  salt  rubbed  into  his  wounds.  Seeing  that  all 
these  horrible  and  devilish  cruelties  had  no  power  to  vanquish  the 
spirit  of  the  saint,  Dacian  sent  for  an  enchanter,  who  invoked  the  aid 
of  Satan,  and  then  poisoned  a  cup  of  wine  which  St.  George  drank. 
Before  doing  so,  however,  he  made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  the 
poison  had  no  effect  on  him.  The  magician  was  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity by  this  miracle,  and  upon  his  declaring  the  fact,  was  imme- 
diately beheaded.  St.  George  was  next  bound  upon  a  wheel  tilled  with 
sharp  knives,  but  two  angels  descended  from  heaven  and  broke  it  in 
pieces.  They  then  put  him  in  boiling  oil.  Believing  that  he  must  be 
now  subdued,  he  was  taken  by  the  judges  to  assist  at  the  sacrifices  in 
the  heathen  temple.  Crowds  came  to  witness  his  humiliation.  But  the 
saint  knelt  down  and  prayed,  and  instantly  there  came  thunder  and 
lightnings  from  heaven.  The  temple  was  destroyed ;  the  idols  were 
crushed  ;  while  the  priests  and  many  of  the  people  perished.  Now  at 
last  Dacian  commanded  him  to  be  beheaded.  He  met  death  with  joy 
and  courage.  The  story  of  St.  George  bears  great  resemblance  to 
those  of  Apollo,  Bellerophon,  and  Perseus,  while  the  destruction  of 
the  temple  and  his  persecutors  is  very  like  that  of  the  Philistines 
when  they  called  Samson  out  of  his  prison-house  to  make  sport  for 
them.  The  Greeks  give  St.  George  the  title  of  the  Great  Martyr, 
and  his  veneration  is  very  ancient  in  the  East.  In  Europe  he  was 
but  little  honored  until  the  Crusades,  when  the  aid  he  obtained  for 
Godfrey  of  Boulogne  made  Christian  soldiers  seek  his  patronage. 
When  Richard  I.  made  holy  war,  he  placed  his  army  under  the  pro- 
tection of  St.  George,  and  from  this  time  he  has  been  patron  saint  of 
England.  His  feast  was  ordered  to  be  kept  through  all  England 
in  1222,  and  the  Order  of  the  Garter  was  instituted  in  1330.  April 
23,  A.  D.  303. 

St.  Gereon,  one  of  the  commanders  of  the  Theban  legion.  AVhen 
St.  ]\Iaurice  and  the  greater  part  of  the  legion  were  at  Aganum  (now 
St.  Maurice),  Gereon  with  his  command  reached  Cologne.  Verus,  tlie 
prefect,  by  order  of  the  Emperor  Maximin,  commanded  them  to  re- 
nounce Christianity.  Upon  their  refusal,  Gereon  and  many  of  his 
soldiers  were  put  to  death  and  thrown  into  a  pit.  The  veneration 
of  this  saint  extends  back  to  the  fourth  century,  but  he  is  little  heard 
of  outside  the  part  of  Germany  which  was  the  scene  of  his  sufferings. 

9 


130  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

Many  of  the  representations  of  St.  Gereon  are  in  sculpture,  and  upon 
the  stained  <ilaas  in  the  oldest  of  the  German  churches. 

St.  Gervasius  and  St.  Protasius  (Ital.  Gervasio  e  Protasio ; 
Ir.  St.  Gervais  et  St.  Protais).  These  were  twin  brothers  who  suf- 
fered martyrdom  in  the  time  of  Nero.  They  were  sent  bound  to 
Milan,  together  with  Nazarius  and  Celsus.  They  were  brought  to 
Count  Artesius,  who  bade  them  sacrifice  to  the  idols.  They  refused  ; 
and  Gervasius  was  condemned  to  be  beaten  to  death  with  scourges 
loaded  with  lead,  and  Protasius  to  be  beheaded.  A  man  named 
Philip  obtained  their  bodies  and  buried  them  in  his  garden,  where 
they  remained  until  the  place  of  their  burial  was  revealed  in  a  vision 
to  St.  Ambrose.  It  happened  after  this  wise.  When  Ambrose  built 
the  church  at  Milan  (a.  d.  387),  the  people  were  anxious  that  it  should 
possess  holy  relics.  While  Ambrose  was  much  engaged  in  thought  of 
this,  and  very  anxious  to  please  his  people,  he  went  to  the  church  of 
Sts.  Nabor  and  Felix  to  pray;  while  there  a  trance  came  over  him, 
and  in  it  he  beheld  St.  Paul  and  St.  Peter ;  and  with  them  were 
two' young  men,  clothed  in  white  and  of  wonderful  beauty.  It  was 
revealed  to  Ambrose  that  these  were  two  martyrs  who  had  been 
buried  near  the  spot  where  he  was.  Assembling  his  clergy,  he  made 
search,  when  the  two  bodies  were  found.  Tlrey  were  gigantic  in  size. 
The  heads  were  separate  from  the  bodies,  and  in  the  tomb  was  a 
writing  which  told  their  story.  These  sacred  relics  were  carried  in 
procession  to  the  basilica ;  and  those  sick  ones  who  could  touch  them 
as  they  passed  along  the  street  were  instantl}^  healed.  Among  these 
was  a  man  named  Severus,  who  had  been  many  years  blind.  As  he 
touched  these  bones  his  sight  was  restored.  This  miracle  was  seen 
by  so  many  of  the  people  that  it  established  beyond  a  question  the 
great  efficacy  of  these  relics.  St.  Ambrose,  as  he  laid  them  beneath 
the  altar,  blessed  God  and  cried  out,  "  Let  the  victims  be  borne  in 
triumph  to  the  place  where  Christ  is  the  sacrifice  :  he  upon  the  altar, 
who  suffered  for  all ;  they  beneath  the  altar,  who  were  redeemed  by 
his  suffering."  The  enemies  of  Ambrose  accused  him  of  duplicity  in 
this  matter,  and  even  said  that  Severus  was  bribed  to  play  a  part ; 
but  the  authority  of  the  father  was  sufficient  to  inspire  confidence 
in  spite  of  all,  and  the  church  was  dedicated  to  SS.  Gervasius  and 
Protasius.  Since  the  death  of  St.  Ambrose  this  church,  which  is 
one  of  the  most  wonderful  and  famous  in  the  world,  is  called  Sant* 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  131 

Ambrogio  Maggiore.  The  veneration  of  these  saints  was  introduced 
into  France,  where  they  became  very  popular,  by  St.  Germain  iu 
560.  He  carried  some  part  of  the  relics  to  Paris.  Many  cathedrals 
and  parish  churches  have  been  dedicated  to  them.  It  would  be 
natural  to  expect  their  pictures  to  represent  their  vast  size,  but  this 
is  not  the  case.  There  are  few  Italian  and  many  French  paintings  of 
them.     June  19,  a.  d.  69. 

St.  Giles  (Gr.  "Ay.  FtAXo?;  Lat.  S.  ^gidius ;  Ital  Sant'  Egi- 
dio;  Fr.  St.  Gilles ;  S}^.  San  Gil)  was  an  Athenian  of  royal  blood- 
Some  miracles  which  he  performed  —  one  of  which  was  throwing 
his  mantle  over  a  sick  man,  and  thus  healing  him  —  had  gained 
for  him  the  veneration  of  the  people.  St.  Giles  left  his  country  and 
became  a  hermit.  After  Ions:  wanderinofs  he  came  to  a  cave  in  a  forest 
near  the  mouth  of  the  lihone,  about  twelve  miles  south  of  Nismes. 
Here  he  subsisted  upon  herbs  and  wild  fruits  and  the  milk  of  a  hind. 
This  gave  rise  to  his  attribute  of  a  wounded  hind;  for  it  came  to  pass 
that  as  a  party,  said  by  some  to  be  that  of  the  King  of  France  and 
by  others  the  King  of  the  Goths,  were  hunting,  this  hind  was  pursued 
by  the  dogs.  It  fled  to  the  cave  and  nestled  in  the  arms  of  the  saint. 
A  hunter  sent  an  arrow  after  it ;  and  when  they  came  to  look  in  the 
cave,  they  found  the  holy  man  wounded  by  the  arrow.  Tiieir  sorrow 
was  great,  and  they  entreated  his  forgiveness  even  on  their  knees. 
He  resisted  all  their  endeavors  to  draw  him  out  of  the  cave,  and 
there  he  soon  died.  Above  this  cave  was  built  a  magnificent  monastery. 
A  city  sprung  up  about  it  bearing  the  name  of  the  saint,  and  the  counts 
of  that  district  were  called  Comtes  de  Saint-Gilles.  The  church, 
which  still  remains  upon  the  spot,  is  an  extraordinary  remnant  of  the 
Middle  Ages.  It  is  covered  with  bas-reliefs  on  the  outside,  and  has 
a  remarkable  staircase  in  the  interior.  Queen  Matilda  dedicated  a 
hospital,  which  she  founded  outside  of  London,  to  St.  Giles.  This 
was  in  1117;  and  the  name  now  belongs  to  an  extensive  parish.  In 
Edinburgh,  too,  the  parish  church,  founded  in  1359,  bears  his  name.^ 
He  is  patron  saint  of  Edinburgh,  of  Juliers>  in  Flanders,  and  of  the 
woodland  everywhere.     September  I,  a.  d.  725. 

Glastonbury,  Abbey  of.  The  origin  of  this  famous  abbey  is 
lost  in  antiquity  ;  but  the  legend  connects  it  with  the  introduction 
of  Christianity  into  England.     The  w^ondrous  story  tells  that  when 

1  St.  Giles  Cathedral,  Edinburgh,  is  one  of  the  very  few  that  escaped  the  fury 
of  the  so-called  Reformers  in  Scotland. 


132  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

Philip,  who  was  one  of  the  twelve  Apostles,  came  to  France,  he  sent 
Joseph  of  Arimathea  with  his  sou  and  eleven  other  disciples  to  Britain. 
King  Arviragus  so  admired  the  beauty  of  their  lives,  and  so  appreci- 
ated the  dangers  wliich  they  had  overcome  in  their  long  journey  from 
Palestine,  that  he  gave  them  an  island  called  Avalon.  Here  they 
built  a  church  by  twining  wands,  and  consecrated  a  place  of  burial. 
They  limited  their  number  to  twelve,  and  lived  in  imitation  of  the 
Master  and  his  disciples.  By  their  preaching  many  Britons  were 
converted.  It  is  a  wonderful  old  place.  It  is  here  King  Alfred  found 
a  refuge  from  his  Danish  foes.  Here  King  Arthur  was  buried  ;  and 
here  ever  bloomed  the  "mystic  thorn"  at  the  feast  of  the  Nativity. 
It  was  upon  the  strength  of  this  legend  that  the  kings  of  England 
claimed  precedence  of  the  kings  of  France  in  the  religious  councils  of 
Pisa,  Constance,  Siena,  and  Basle.  They  declared  that  Joseph  of 
Arimathea  came  to  England  in  the  fifteenth  year  after  the  assump- 
tion of  tlie  Virgin  Mary,  and  tliat  France  received  not  the  religion  of 
Christ  until  the  time  of  St.  Denis;  and  that  for  this  reason  they 
did  "far  transcend  all  other  kings  in  worth  and  honor,  so  much  as 
Christians  were  more  excellent  than  pagans." 

Godfrey  of  Bouillon,  Duke  of  Lower  Lorraine,  was  born  in 
Brabant  about  lOGO.  As  the  eldest  son  of  the  Count  of  Boulocrne, 
he  succeeded  to  the  government  of  the  duchy  in  1076.  Godfrey 
served  with  gallantry  in  the  armies  of  Henry  IV.,  and  his  fame 
was  such  tliat  when  the  Crusades  broke  out  he  was  appointed  to  the 
command  of  the  principal  army,  and  started  for  the  Holy  Land,  with 
his  brothers  Eustace  and  Baldwin.  The  united  armies  numbered  six 
hundred  thousand  men,  but  in  two  years  were  reduced  to  forty  thou- 
sand. In  the  sieges  of  Nice  and  Antioch,  and  in  all  encounters  with 
the  enemy,  Godfrey  bore  his  full  share,  and  at  the  taking  of  Jeru- 
salem, in  1099,  was  proclaimed  king.  He  declined  this  title,  saying, 
"  I  will  never  accept  a  crown  of  gold  where  my  Saviour  wore  a 
crown  of  thorns."  He  called  himself  the  "  Defender  and  Guardian 
of  the  Holy  Sepulchre."  A  little  later,  Godfrey  defeated  the  Sara- 
cens in  the  plain  of  Ascalon,  thus  possessing  himself  of  all  Palestine. 
He  labored  to  organize  a  State,  but  died  in  July,  1100,  justly 
lamented  for  his  piety,  valor,  and  kingly  virtues.  An  equestrian 
statue  of  Godfrey  do  Bouillon  stands  in  a  square  of  Brussels.  Tasso 
sang  his  praises  in  "Jerusalem  Delivered;"  and  history  declares 
him  to  have  been  ot  "  first  rank  both  in  war  and  council." 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  133 

St.  Grata.     See  St.  Adelaide. 

St.  Gregory,  or  Gregory  the  Great  {Lat.  S.  Gregorius  Mag- 
nus ;  Ital,  San  Gregorio  Magno  or  Papa ;  Fr.  St.  Gregoire  ;  Ger.  Der 
Heilige  Gregor;  signification,  "watchman"),  was  born  at  Rome  in 
540.  His  father,  Gordian,  was  a  senator.  His  mother,  Sylvia,  was  a 
•woman  of  remarkable  character ;  and  like  many  of  the  mothers  of 
that  time  who  bore  sons  destined  to  act  a  great  part  in  the  world, 
she  had  a  vision,  while  he  was  but  a  baby  in  her  arms,  in  which 
St.  Antony  revealed  to  her  that  this  son  should  be  the  head  of  the 
Church  on  earth.  When  grown,  he  studied  and  practised  law,  and 
was  prsetor  of  Eome  for  twelve  years.  His  character  w^as,  however, 
always  deeply  religious ;  and  the  piety  of  the  mother  seemed  to  have 
descended  to,  and  become  intensified  in,  the  son.  On  the  death  of  his 
father  he  devoted  his  wealth  to  religion  and  charity.  He  made  his 
home  on  the  Celian  Hill  a  hospital  and  monastery,  and  dedicated 
it  to  St.  Andrew.  He  then  took  a  cell  within  it,  and  taking  the 
habit  of  a  Benedictine  devoted  himself  to  studies  which  fitted  him  for 
his  duties  in  later  life.  This  monastery  is  now  the  church  of  San 
Gregorio.  When  a  fearful  plague  broke  out  in  Rome,  Gregory  de- 
voted himself  to  the  nursing  of  the  sick.  One  of  the  victims  of  the 
pestilence  was  Pope  Pelagius.  The  people  desired  to  have  Gregory 
as  his  successor ;  but  he  shrank  from  the  office,  and  even  entreated 
the  emperor  not  to  assent  to  the  wishes  of  the  people.  When  finally 
his  election  was  confirmed,  he  hid  himself  in  a  cave  away  from  Rome. 
Those  who  sought  for  him  were  led  by  a  celestial  light  about  the 
place  where  he  was  hidden,  and  he  was  brought  again  to  Rome. 
He  soon  proved  that  the  choice  of  the  people  had  been  a  wise  one. 
He  was  the  most  humble  of  men,  and  was  the  first  to  call  himself 
"servant  of  the  servants  of  God."  He  reformed  the  Church  music, 
composing  what  is  called  from  him  the  Gregorian  Chant.  He  showed 
a  spirit  of  toleration  and  charity  far  in  advance  of  his  time ;  disap- 
proved all  persecution ;  ^  restored  the  synagogues  of  Terracina  and 
Cappadocia  to  the  Jews,  from  whom  they  had  been  taken ;  liberally 
redeemed  captives  out  of  his  own  means,  and  further,  authorized  the 
sale  of  the  sacred  vessels  for  their  redemption ;  and  was  so  moved 

1  St.  Gregory  said  that  conversions  to  the  faith  should  not  be  forced,  but  won 

by  meekness  and  charity. 


134  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

at  the  sight  of  some  wretched  British  captives  who  were  to  be 
sold  in  Rome  that  he  sent  missionaries  to  England.  He  had  a 
special  devotion  to  the  souls  in  Purgatory  ;  and  set  the  example 
of  a  trental  <jf  masses,  or  masses  on  thirty  successive  days,  for  the 
faithful  departed.  St.  Gregory  always  zealously  asserted  the  obliga- 
tion of  celibacy  among  the  clergy,  extending  this  law  to  the  sul>- 
deacons,  who  had  before  been  ranked  among  the  clergy  of  the  minor 
orders.  He  felt  the  responsibilities  of  his  office  so  much  as  to  con- 
sider himself  literally  the  father  of  each  individual  of  the  Church; 
and  on  one  occasion  he  fiisted,  and  interdicted  himself  from  any 
sacerdotal  function  for  several  days,  because  a  beggar  had  died  in 
the  streets  of  Home.  His  charities  were  boundless.  AVhen  a  monk, 
a  beggar  asked  alms  at  the  monastery,  and  receiving  something  came 
again  and  again,  until  Gregory  had  nothing  to  give  him  but  a  silver 
porriuLicr  wliich  Sylvia  had  sent  to  her  son,  and  this  he  did  not 
withhold.  When  pope,  he  had  twelve  poor  men  to  sup  with  him  each 
eveniuLT.  One  night  he  saw  thirteen  at  his  table,  and  calling  his 
steward  he  demanded  the  reason  of  this.  The  steward  replied,  after 
counting,  '*  Holy  Father,  there  are  surely  twelve  only ! "  Gregory 
said  no  more,  but  at  the  end  of  the  meal  he  asked  the  uninvited 
one,  "  Who  art  thou  1 "  and  he  said,  "  I  am  the  poor  man  whom  thou 
didst  formerly  relieve  ;  but  my  name  is  the  Wonderful,  and  through 
me  tliou  shalt  obtain  whatever  thou  shalt  ask  of  God."  Then  Gregory 
believed  him  to  be  an  angel,  and  some  say,  Christ  himself.  The 
painting  of  this  legend  is  called  the  "  Supper  of  St.  Gregory."  John 
the  Deacon,  who  was  his  secretary,  has  left  an  account  in  which  he 
declares  that  he  has  seen  the  Holy  Spirit  seated  on  his  shoulder  in 
the  shape  of  a  dove  while  he  wrote.  This  explains  why  the  dove  is 
BO  frequently'  one  of  his  attributes.  "  The  Mass  of  St.  Gregory,"  so 
often  painted,  is  founded  upon  a  legend  that  as  the  saint  was  offi- 
ciating some  one  doubted  the  real  presence  in  the  elements.  The 
saint  prayed,  and  instantly  a  vision  was  revealed  of  the  crucified 
Saviour,  surrounded  with  all  the  instruments  of  his  passion,  upon 
the  altar. 

Another  painting  represents  the  miracle  of  the  Brandeum.  Tlie 
Empress  Constantia  sent  to  Gregor}',  desiring  a  portion  of  the  relics 
of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul.  Gregory  replied  that  he  dared  not  dis- 
turb the  holy  remains,  and  sent  her  tlie   Brandeum,  or  a  part  of  a 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  135 

consecrated  cloth  which  had  enfolded  the  remains  of  St.  John  the 
Evangelist.  The  empress,  disappointed,  rejected  this  gift  with  scorn. 
Then  Gregory,  wishing  to  show  that  it  was  not  so  much  the  relics 
themselves  as  the  faith  of  the  believer  which  worked  the  miracles, 
placed  the  cloth  upon  the  altar,  and  after  praying  pierced  it  with  a 
knife,  and  blood  flowed  from  it  as  from  a  living  body.  A  legend 
popular  in  the  Middle  Ages,  but  quite  unauthorized  by  the  Church, 
and  contrary  to  Catholic  faith  and  the  Scriptures,  —  "  out  of  Hell 
there  is  no  salvation,"  —  recounts  the  manner  in  which  St.  Gregory 
released  Trajan  from  torment.  It  is  said  that  on  one  occasion,  when 
that  emperor  was  leading  his  soldiers  to  battle,  he  was  stopped  by 
a  poor  widow  who  threw  herself  before  his  horse  and  demanded 
vengeance  for  the  death  of  her  son,  who  had  been  killed  by  the  son 
of  Trajan.  The  emperor  promised  that  on  his  return  he  would  at- 
tend to  her  request.  "  But,  sire,"  replied  the  widow,  "  should  you  be 
killed  in  battle,  who  then  will  do  me  justice*?"  "My  successor," 
said  Trajan.  Then  she  replied,  "  What  will  it  signify  to  you,  great 
emperor,  that  any  other  than  yourself  should  do  me  justice"?  Is  it 
not  better  that  you  should  do  this  good  action  yourself  than  leave 
another  to  do  if?"  Then  the  emperor  alighted,  and  listened  to  her 
story,  and  finally  gave  his  own  son  to  her,  and  bestowed  upon  her  a 
large  dowry.  Now,  as  Gregory  was  one  day  thinking  of  this  story, 
he  became  greatly  troubled  at  the  thought  that  so  just  a  man  as  this 
should  be  condemned  as  a  heathen  to  eternal  torments,  and  he 
entered  a  church  and  prayed  most  earnestly  that  the  soul  of  the 
emperor  might  be  released  from  suffering.  While  still  at  prayer, 
he  heard  a  voice  saying,  *'  I  have  granted  thy  prayer,  and  I  have 
spared  the  soul  of  Trajan  for  thy  sake ;  but  because  thou  hast  sup- 
plicated for  one  whom  the  justice  of  God  had  already  condemned, 
thou  shalt  choose  one  of  two  things  :  either  thou  shalt  endure  for 
two  days  the  fires  of  purgatory,  or  thou  shalt  be  sick  and  infirm  for 
the  rest  of  thy  life."  This  is  given  as  the  explanation  of  the  great 
weakness  and  the  many  infirmities  suffered  by  Gregory ;  for  he  chose 
the  sickness  in  preference  to  the  two  days  of  purgatory.  St.  Greg- 
ory's health  was  always  frail,  but  the  last  two  years  he  lived  he  was 
not  able  to  leave  his  couch.  His  bed  and  a  scourge  with  which  he 
kept  his  choristers  in  order  are  still  preserved  in  the  church  of  the 
Lateran.     March  12,  a.  D.  604. 


136  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

St.  Gregory    Nazianzen    {Gr.  "ky.  Tprjyopio}  &€ok6yo<: ;   Lai. 
Sanctus    Grcgoriua    Nazianzenus ;    Itcd.    San    Gregorio    Xazianzeno ; 
Fr.   St.   Gr^goire  de  Naziance ;    Ger.  S.   Gregor  von  Nazianz)   was 
born  about  328.     His  father,  St.  Gregory,  waa  Bishop  of  Naziauzum. 
St.  Nonna  was  his   mother,  and  St.  Gorgonia  and   St.   Cesarea  his 
sisters.     While  a  boy,  he  had  a  dream  which  in  a  great  measure 
influenced  all  his  course  in  life.      He  thought  there  came  to  him 
two  celestial  virgins  of  dazzling  beauty.      They  took  him   in  their 
arms  and  kissed  him.     He  asked  who  they  were,  and  whence  they 
came ;  and  one  said,   "  I  am  called  Chastity,  and  my  sister  here  is 
Temperance.     We  come  to  thee  from  Paradise,  where  we  stand  con- 
tinually before  the   throne   of  Christ,  and  taste   ineffable  delights. 
Come  to  us,  my  son,  and  dwell  with  us  forever."     When  this  was 
said,  they  flew  into  heaven.     He  stretched  out  his  arms  to  them  and 
awoke.     This  dream  was  to  him  like  a  direct  command  from  God, 
and    he  took  vows  of  perpetual   continence    and   temperance.     He 
studied  in  Athens,  where  St.  Basil  and  Julian,  who,  though  a  Ca?sar, 
is  only  known  as  the  Apostate,  were   his  fellow-students.     He  was 
not  baptized  until  almost  thirty  years  old.     He  devoted  himself  to 
religious  studies,   and  to  austerities  which   he  declared  were   ever 
most  repugnant  to  him ;  but  their  virtue  was  increased  by  this  fact. 
He  was  ordained  priest  by  his  father,  became  his  coadjutor,  and  suc- 
ceeded to  his  bishopric  in  362.     He  was  invited  to  preach  against 
the    Arians  at  Constantinople.     The  disputes   ran   very  high,  and 
were  carried  on  by  all  classes,  and  even  by  the  women,  who  argued 
in  public  as  well  as  at  home.     Gregory  was  small  in  stature,  and 
every  way  insignificant  in  his  appearance.     At  first  he  was  stoned 
by  the  Arians  and  ApoUinarists  when  he  attempted  to  speak ;  but 
his   earnest   eloquence    overcame    all    obstacles,   and   though  he   at 
length  gave  up  the  bishopric  of  Constantinople,  to  which  Theodo- 
sius  had  appointed  him,  intent  thus  to  promote  peace  in  the  Church, 
yet  he  had    gained  the    respect  of  enemies   and  the    confidence  of 
friends.     Leaving  Constantinople,  he  lived  on  a  small  estate  of  his 
father's  in  great  strictness  and  self-denial.     St.  Gregory  Nazianzen  is 
the  earliest  Christian  poet  of  whom  we  have  any  knowledge.      In 
his  retirement  he  wrote  hymns  and  lyrics  which  express  all  the  strug- 
gles and  aspirations  of  his  naturally  intense  and  imaginative  nature. 
May  9,  A.  D.  390. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  137 

St.  Gudula  (called  in  Flemish  Sinte-R-Goelen,  and  in  Brabant 
St.  Goule  or  Ergoule)  is  tlie  patroness  of  the  city  of  Brussels.  She 
was  daughter  of  Count  Wittiger.  Her  mother  was  St.  Amalaberga, 
and  St.  Gertrude  of  Nivelle,  her  godmother.  She  was  educated 
by  the  latter.  There  are  many  miracles  told  of  her,  but  that  of  her 
lantern  is  the  one  best  known  and  oftenest  painted.  It  was  her  cus- 
tom to  go  to  the  church  of  Morselle  in  the  night,  to  pray.  It  was  a 
long  distance,  and  she  carried  a  lantern.  Satan  was  very  envious 
of  the  influence  she  gained  by  her  piety,  and  frequently  put  out  her 
light,  hoping  that  she  might  be  misled.  Whenever  this  was  done, 
Gudula  immediately  relighted  it  by  her  prayers.  January  8 ;  about 
A.  D.  712. 

St.  Guthlac  of  Croyland.  The  legend  relates  that  "at  the 
time  of  his  birth  a  hand  of  ruddy  splendor  was  seen  extended  from 
heaven  to  a  cross  which  stood  at  his  mother's  door."  Although 
this  was  thought  to  indicate  future  sanctity  in  the  child,  he  grew  up 
wild  and  reckless,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  organized  a  band  of  rob- 
bers, and  was  their  leader ;  but  "  such  was  his  innate  goodness  that 
he  always  gave  back  a  third  part  of  the  spoil  to  those  whom  he 
robbed."  He  lived  thus  eight  years,  when  lie  saw  the  sinfulness  of 
his  life,  and  the  remainder  of  it  was  devoted  to  penance  and  repara- 
tion. At  the  monastery  of  Bepton  he  learned  to  read,  and  studied 
the  lives  of  the  hermits.  He  went  at  length  to  a  wilderness,  where 
he  encountered  evil  spirits  as  numerous  as  those  which  tormented 
St.  Anthony.  St.  Bartholomew  was  the  chosen  saint  of  Guthlac, 
and  he  often  came  to  his  rescue  and  drove  the  demons  into  the  sea. 
The  place  of  his  retreat  was  a  marsh.  At  first  a  little  oratory  was 
built,  and  at  length  a  splendid  monastery  was  raised  on  piles,  and 
dedicated  to  St.  Bartholomew.  The  marshes  were  drained,  and  la- 
bor and  cultivation  changed  the  appearance  of  the  place,  and  put  to 
flight  the  demoniac  inhabitants  of  the  former  solitude.  The  ruins  of 
Croyland  Abbey  cover  tw^enty  acres.  The  country  is  again  neglected, 
and  an  unhealthy  marsh.  The  remains  of  a  beautiful  statue  said  to 
be  St.  Guthlac  may  still  be  seen.  St.  Pega,  the  sister  of  St.  Guth- 
lac, gave  to  the  monastery  the  whip  of  St.  Bartholomew.  April  11, 
A.D.  714. 

St.  Helena.  It  is  admitted,  by  all  authorities,  that  St.  Helena 
was  born  in  England ;  but  the  exact  location  of  her  birthplace  is  a 


138  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

matter  of  dispute  and  doubt.  She  married  Constantius  Chlorus  ("the 
Pale  "),  and  was  the  mother  of  Coustantine  the  Great.  When  her 
son  embraced  Christianity,  she  was  much  distressed,  and  declared 
that  it  would  have  been  better  to  be  a  Jew  than  a  Christian.  Wlieu 
she  at  length  became  a  convert,  her  wonderful  zeal  and  the  great  in- 
fluence she  had  over  the  mind  of  her  son  conduced  to  the  rapid 
growth  and  strength  of  the  Church.  In  32G  she  made  a  journey 
to  Palestine ;  and  when  she  arrived  at  Jerusalem,  she  was  inspired 
with  a  strong  desire  to  discover  the  cross  upon  which  Christ  had 
suffered.  The  temple  of  Venus  stood  upon  the  spot  supposed  to  be 
the  place  of  the  crucifixion.  She  ordered  this  to  be  taken  down, 
and  after  digging  very  deep,  three  crosses  were  found.  Tliere  are 
two  accounts  given  of  the  manner  in  which  the  true  cross  was  se- 
lected. Some  say  the  crosses  were  all  applied  to  a  sick  person,  — 
the  first  two  without  effect,  while  the  third  caused  an  instantaneous 
cure.  Others  say  that  they  were  carried  to  a  dead  person,  and  that  at 
the  application  of  the  third,  life  was  restored.  Constantino  erected  a 
basilica  upon  the  spot  where  the  crosses  were  found,  and  it  was  con- 
secrated September  13,  a.  d.  335.  The  following  day  was  Sunday, 
and  the  Holy  Cross  was  elevated  on  high  for  the  veneration  of  the 
people.  It  is  with  the  "Invention  [Finding]  of  the  True  Cross,"  as  it 
is  called,  that  St.  Helena  is  most  frequently  considered  ;  but  she  did 
many  other  things  which  either  in  themselves  or  in  their  effects  still 
speak  of  her  active  zeal  for  the  Church.  The  Church  of  the  Nativity 
at  Bethlehem  was  erected  by  her  in  327,  and  is  tlie  oldest  church 
edifice  in  the  world.     August  18,  a.  d.   327. 

Heliodorus.  This  narrative  is  found  in  the  third  chapter  of 
the  second  book  of  Maccabees.*  It  is  frequently  illustrated  in  art, 
and  is  as  follows.  When  Onias  was  high-priest  at  Jerusalem  and 
all  was  prosperous  there,  a  certain  Simon,  governor  of  the  temple, 
became  disaffected  toward  Onias  on  account  of  some  trouble  in  tlio 
city.  So  he  went  to  Apollonius,  the  governor  of  Cocle-Syria,  and 
told  him  "that  the  treasury  in  Jerusalem  was  full  of  infinite  sums 
of  money,  so  that  the  multitude  of  their  riches  whicli  did  not  pertain 
to  the  account  of  the  sacrifices,  was  innumerable,  and  that  it  was 
possible  to  bring  all  into  the  king's  hand."     When  Apollonius  told 

1  The  Catholic  Church  includes  the  Books  of  Maccabees  among  the  inspired 
writings. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  139 

this  to  the  king,  he  sent  his  treasurer  Heliodorus,  with  commands  to 
bring  to  him  this  mone3\  When  Hehodorus  came  to  Jerusalem,  he 
was  courteously  received  by  Onias;  and  when  he  told  him  what  they 
had  heard,  anJ  demanded  if  it  was  true  that  so  much  money  was 
there,  the  high-priest  told  him  that  much  money  was  indeed  there, 
but  that  it  was  laid  up  for  the  relief  of  widows  and  orphans.  Some 
of  it  belonged  to  Hircanus  the  son  of  Tobias,  and  it  did  not  in  truth 
belong  to  the  treasury,  as  the  wicked  Simon  had  said.  Onias  said 
that  the  sum  was  four  hundred  talents  of  silver  and  about  two  hun- 
dred talents  of  gold,  and  "  that  it  was  altogether  impossible  that 
such  wrong  should  be  done  unto  them  that  had  committed  it  to  the 
holiness  of  the  place,  and  to  the  majesty  and  inviolable  sanctity  of 
the  temple,  honored  all  over  the  world."  But  Heliodorus  said  that  the 
king  had  given  him  commands  that  in  any  wise  it  should  be  brought 
into  the  treasury.  So  a  day  was  set  when  he  should  receive  the 
treasure.  Xow  the  whole  city  was  in  agony,  and  the  priests  pros- 
trated themselves  before  the  altars  and  entreated  God  that  this 
should  not  be  allowed,  and  called  unto  Him  that  the  law  which  he 
had  made  should  be  kept,  and  the  money  preserved  for  those  who  had 
committed  it  to  their  care.  "  Then  whoso  had  looked  the  high-priest 
in  the  face,  it  would  have  wounded  his  heart ;  for  his  countenance  and 
the  changing  of  his  color  declared  the  inward  agony  of  his  mind.  For 
the  man  was  so  compassed  with  fear  and  horror  of  the  body,  that  it 
was  manifest  to  them  that  looked  upon  him  what  sorrow  he  had  now 
in  his  heart.  Others  ^an  flocking  out  of  their  houses  to  the  general 
supplication,  because  the  place  was  like  to  come  into  contempt.  And 
the  women  girt  with  sackcloth  under  their  breasts,  abounded  in  the 
streets,  and  the  virgins  that  were  kept  in,  ran,  some  to  the  gates, 
and  some  to  the  walls,  and  others  looked  out  of  the  windows. 
And  all  holding  their  hands  toward  heaven  made  supplication. 
Then  it  would  have  pitied  a  man  to  see  the  falling  down  of  the 
multitude  of  all  sorts,  and  the  fear  of  the  high-priest  being  in  such 
an  agony.  But  in  spite  of  all,  Heliodorus  went  to  the  temple  to 
execute  his  intentions.  Now,  as  he  was  there  present  himself  with 
his  guards  about  the  treasury,  the  Lord  of  spirits  and  the  Prince  of 
all  power  caused  a  great  apparition,  so  that  all  that  presumed  to 
come  in  with  him  were  astonished  at  the  power  of  God,  and  fainted 
and  were  sore  afraid.     For  there  appeared  unto  them  an  horse  with 


140  LEGEyDS  AND  STORIES 

a  terrible  rider  upon  him,  and  adorned  with  a  very  fair  covering, 
and  lie  ran  tiercely  and  smote  at  Ileliodorus  with  his  fore  feet,  and 
it  seemed  that  he  that  sat  upon  the  horse  had  complete  harness 
of  gold.  Moreover,  two  other  young  men  appeared  before  him,  nota- 
ble in  strength,  excellent  in  beauty,  and  comely  in  apparel,  who 
stood  by  him  on  either  side,  and  scourged  him  continually,  and  gave 
him  many  sore  stripes.  And  Heliodorus  fell  suddenly  unto  the 
ground,  and  was  compassed  with  great  darkness;  but  they  that 
were  with  him  took  him  up  and  put  him  into  a  litter.  Thus  him, 
that  lately  came  with  a  great  train  and  with  all  his  guard  into  the 
said  treasury,  they  carried  out,  being  unable  to  help  himself  with 
his  weapons ;  and  manifestly  they  acknowledged  the  power  of  God. 
For  he  by  the  hand  of  God  was  cast  down,  and  lay  speechless  with- 
out all  hope  of  life.  But  they  praised  the  Lord  that  had  miracu- 
lously honored  his  own  place  ;  for  the  temple,  which  a  little  afore 
•was  full  of  fear  and  trouble,  when  the  almighty  Lord  appeared  was 
filled  with  joy  and  gladness.  Then  straightway  certain  of  Heliodo- 
rus' friends  prayed  Onias,  that  he  would  call  upon  the  Most  High 
to  grant  him  his  life,  who  lay  ready  to  give  up  the  ghost.  So  the 
high  priest,  suspecting  lest  the  king  should  misconceive  that  some 
treachery  had  been  done  to  Heliodorus  by  the  Jews,  offered  a  sacri- 
fice for  the  health  of  the  man.  Now,  as  the  high-priest  was  making 
an  atonement,  the  same  young  men  in  the  same  clothing  appeared 
and  stood  beside  Heliodorus,  saying,  'Give  Onias,  the  high-priest, 
great  thanks,  insomuch  that  for  his  sake  the  Lord  hatli  granted 
thee  life.  And  seeing  tli;\t  thou  hast  been  scourged  from  heaven, 
declare  unto  all  men  the  mighty  power  of  God.'  And  when  they 
had  spoken  these  words,  they  appeared  no  more.  So  Heliodorus, 
after  he  had  offered  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord,  and  made  great  vows 
unto  him  that  had  saved  his  life,  and  saluted  Onias,  returned  with 
his  host  to  the  king.  Then  testified  he  to  all  men  the  works  of  the 
great  God,  which  he  had  seen  with  his  eyes.  And  when  tlio  king 
asked  Heliodorus  who  might  be  a  fit  man  to  be  sent  yet  once 
again  to  Jerusalem,  ho  said  :  *  If  thou  hast  any  enemy  or  traitor, 
send  him  thitlicr,  and  thou  shalt  receive  him  well  scourged,  if  he  es- 
cape with  his  life  ;  for  in  tiiat  place  no  doubt  there  is  an  especial 
power  of  God.  For  He  that  dwelleth  in  heaven  hath  his  eye  on 
that  place   and  defendeth  it,  and  he   beateth  and  destroyeth  them 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  141 

that  come  to  hurt  it.'     And  the  things  concerning  Heliodorus  and 
the  keeping  of  the  treasury  fell  out  on  this  sort." 

St.  Henry  of  Bavaria  was  born  in  972.  Ho  married  Cune- 
gunda,  daughter  of  tSiegfried,  Count  of  Luxembourg.  Both  are 
saints,  and  both  obtained  that  glory  by  their  perfect  and  entire  de- 
votion to  the  Church,  This  was  so  marked  a  feature  of  Henry's 
character  and  reign  that  it  caused  a  revolt  among  the  princes  of 
his  empire,  as  they  thought  he  had  no  right  to  lavish  so  much 
treasure  in  the  service  of  religion.  Henry  was  no  less  a  soldier 
than  a  Christian.  After  defeating  the  seditious  nobles,  he  restored 
to  them  their  possessions  and  treated  them  as  if  nothing  had  oc- 
curred. When  he  went  to  war  to  subject  and  convert  Poland  and 
Sclavonia,  he  put  himself  and  his  army  under  the  protection  of  SS. 
Laurence,  George,  and  Adrian.  He  girded  on  the  sword  of  the  last- 
named,  which  had  long  been  preserved  in  Walbeck  Church.  The 
legend  relates  that  the  three  saints  were  visible,  fighting  by  the  side 
of  Henry,  and  that  through  their  aid  he  conquered.  The  church  of 
Merseberg  was  built  to  commemorate  this  victory.  He  also  fought 
in  Italy,  and  drove  the  Saracens  from  Apulia.  Henry  had  an  especial 
veneration  for  the  Virgin ;  and  when  on  his  expeditions,  upon  entering 
a  place,  always  repaired  first  to  some  church  or  shrine  dedicated  to 
her.  On  one  occasion,  at  Verdun,  he  was  seized  with  such  a  dis- 
gust and  weariness  of  his  imperial  life  and  duties  that  he  desired 
to  become  a  monk.  The  prior  told  the  emperor  that  his  first 
duty  would  be  obedience.  When  Henry  declared  himself  ready 
to  obey,  the  prior  commanded  him  to  retain  his  office  and  dis- 
charge its  duties.  Henry  and  Cunegunda  together  founded  and 
richly  endowed  the  cathedral  and  convent  of  Bamberg  in  Fran- 
conia,  as  well  as  many  other  religious  edifices  in  Germany,  and 
also  in  Italy.  After  they  had  been  united  several  years,  during 
which  time,  by  mutual  consent,  they  lived  in  the  strictest  continence, 
Cunegunda  was  suspected  of  unfaithfulness  to  her  husband.  Henry 
believed  in  the  purity  of  his  wife,  and  she  would  have  looked  upon 
these  reports  as  trials  sent  from  heaven  to  test  her  patience,  but  she 
felt  that  her  position  demanded  her  justification,  and  she  asked  to  be 
allowed  the  trial  by  ordeal.  She  walked  over  burning  ploughshares 
uninjured.  Henry  tried  to  make  amends  to  her  by  showing  her  the 
greatest  respect  and  tenderness,  but  she  preferred  to  retire   to  the 


142  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

cloister;  to  wliich  he  consented.  Henry  died  in  1024,  and  was  buried 
in  the  cathedral  of  liauiberg.  His  wife  then  took  the  Benedictine 
habit,  and  led  a  life  of  incessant  prayer  and  labor,  working  with  her 
hands  for  the  poor  and  sick.  She  died  in  1040,  and  was  interred 
by  the  side  of  Henry.  Festival  of  Henry,  July  14.  Cunegunda, 
March  3.     For  St.   Henry,  see  also  St.  Laurence. 

St.  Herman-Joseph  was  a  native  of  Cologne.  His  mother  was 
very  poor,  but  brought  up  her  son  piously.  It  was  his  custom  every 
day,  when  on  his  way  to  school,  to  go  to  the  church  of  St.  Mary,  and 
repeat  his  prayers  before  the  image  of  Our  Lady.  One  day,  when  an 
apple  was  all  he  had  for  his  dinner,  he  offered  it  humbly  to  the  Vir- 
gin ;  and  the  legend  says  that  this  so  pleased  "  Our  Blessed  Lady, 
that  she  put  forth  her  hand  and  took  the  apple  and  gave  it  to  our 
Lord  Jesus,  who  sat  upon  her  knee ;  and  both  smiled  upon  Herman." 
AVhen  still  young,  Herman  took  the  habit  of  the  Premonstratensians. 
He  had  many  beautiful  visions,  in  one  of  which  tlie  Virgin  descended 
from  heaven,  and  putting  a  ring  on  his  finger  called  him  her  espoused. 
From  this  vision  he  acquired  the  additional  name  of  Joseph.  April  7, 
A.  D.  1236. 

St.  Hermengildus  was  the  son  of  King  Leovigild,  and  during 
the  contest  between  the  Catholics  and  Arians  he  was  put  to  death 
by  his  father  for  relinquishing  the  Arian  faith.  He  is  one  of  the  most 
famous  Spanish  martyrs.  The  chef-cVoeuvre  of  Herrera  is  the  apothe- 
osis of  this  saint.  He  is  carried  into  glory,  while  St.  Isidore  and  St. 
Leander  stand  on  each  side,  and  the  young  son  of  Hermengildus 
gazes  upwards  as  his  father  is  borne  to  heaven.  The  saint  holds  a 
cross,  and  wears  a  cuirass  of  blue  steel  and  a  scarlet  mantle.  April 
13,  A.  D.  .^jSG. 

St.  Hilarion.     See  St.  Donato  of  Arezzo. 

St.  Hilary  {Itnl.  Sant'  Ilario  ;  Fr.  St.  Ililaire)  was  Bishop  of 
Poitiers.  Although  French,  he  is  greatly  reverenced  in  Italy,  and 
is  one  of  the  patrons  of  Parma,  where  it  is  said  a  part  of  his  relics 
repose.     January  14,  a.  d.  303. 

St.  Hilda  of  Whitby  was  the  great-granddaughter  of  King 
Edwin.  She  was  abbess  of  Whitby,  and  celebrated  for  her  piety  and 
learning,  and  the  excellent  training  which  she  gave  all  under  lier 
charge.  Si.\  bishops  were  elected  out  of  the  monastery  of  men,  at 
Streaneshaleli,  which  was  under  her  jurisdiction.      She  attended  a 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  143 

council  held  at  her  monastery.  Her  wisdom  was  so  great  that  kings 
and  princes  sought  her  guidance.  She  was  venerated  by  the  people, 
and  many  wonderful  miracles  are  attributed  to  her.  Fossils  having 
the  shape  of  coiled  serpents  have  been  found  which  were  beheved  to 
have  been  venomous  reptiles  changed  by  the  prayers  of  St.  Hilda. 
Bede  thus  tells  of  lier  death  :  "  xA.nd  in  the  year  of  the  incarnation  of 
Our  Lord,  680,  on  the  17th  of  November,  the  abbess  Hilda,  having 
suffered  under  an  infirmity  for  seven  years,  and  performed  many 
heavenly  works  on  earth,  died,  and  was  carried  into  Paradise  by  the 
angels,  as  was  beheld  in  a  vision  by  one  of  her  own  nuns,  then  at  a 
distance,  on  the  same  night:  the  name  of  this  nun  was  then  Bega; 
but  she  afterwards  became  famous  under  the  name  of  St.  Bees." 
November  18,  a.  d.  680. 

St.  Hippolytus  {Ital  Sant'  Ippolito ;  Fr.  St.  Hyppolyte ;  Gr. 
"Ay. 'l7r7roAi;ro<> :  signification,  "one  who  is  destroyed  by  horses,"  of 
which  animal  this  saint  is  the  patron).  There  is  great  obscurity  in 
the  legends  of  Hippolytus.  He  was  a  Roman  soldier,  and  was  ap- 
pointed a  guard  over  St.  Laurence.  He  became  a  Christian  from  the 
influence  of  his  prisoner,  and  his  entire  family  were  also  converted. 
After  the  fearful  martyrdom  of  St.  Laurence,  Hippolytus  took  the 
body  and  buried  it.  On  account  of  this  he  was  accused  of  being  a 
Christian,  which  he  denied  not,  but  declared  himself  ready  to  meet 
any  death  rather  than  deny  his  Saviour.  He  saw  nineteen  of  his 
family  suffer  death,  among  whom  was  his  aged  nurse,  Concordia,  who 
was  so  bold  in  declaring  her  faith  that  she  was  scourged  to  death, 
while  the  others  were  beheaded.  Hippolytus  was  tied  to  the  tails 
of  wild  horses,  and  thus  torn  to  pieces.  The  Brescians  claim  that  his 
relics  repose  in  the  convent  of  Santa  Giulia.  The  legends  also  say 
that  in  the  eighth  century  his  remains  were  carried  from  Rome  to 
the  cliurch  of  St.  Denis,  and  on  this  account  he  is  a  popular  saint 
in  France.     August  13,  a.  d.  258. 

Holofernes.     See  Judith. 

St.  Hubert  of  Liege  was  a  very  gay  nobleman.  He  was  of 
Aquitaine,  and  lived  at  the  court  of  Pepin  d'Heristal.  He  partici- 
pated in  all  the  pleasures  of  the  court,  but  was  especially  fond  of  the 
chase,  and  even  hunted  on  the  days  appointed  by  the  Church  for 
fasting  and  prayer.  As  he  hunted  in  the  forest  of  Ardennes  one 
day  in  Holy  "Week,  there  came  to  him  a  milk-white  stag,  with  a 


144  LEGENDS  AXD   STORIES 

crucifix  between  his  horns.  Hubert  was  overcome  with  awe  and 
surprise.  lie  became  sensible  of  the  wickedness  of  his  Hfe,  and  hved 
a  hernut  in  the  very  forest  where  he  had  so  often  sought  his  amuse- 
ment. Tiiere  were  bands  of  robbers,  and  large  numbers  of  idolaters  in 
and  around  the  forest  of  Ardennes;  and  to  them  St.  Hubert  preached 
Christianity,  and  also  introduced  social  reforms  and  civilization 
among  them.  At  length  he  studied  with  St.  Lambert,  and  liccamc 
a  priest.  He  was  afterwards  bishop  of  Liege.  He  requested  that  he 
might  be  buried  in  the  church  of  St.  Peter  at  Liege.  Thirteen  years 
after  his  death  his  remains  were  found  to  be  perfect,  and  his  robes 
unstained.  The  Benedictines  of  Ardennes  desired  to  have  his  body, 
and  it  was  removed  to  their  abbey  church  about  a  century  after  his 
death.  St.  Hubert  is  patron  of  the  chase  and  of  dogs,  and  chapels 
are  erected  to  him  in  the  forests  where  the  devout  huntsman  may 
pray.  Bread  blessed  at  his  shrine  is  believed  to  cure  hydrophobia. 
November  3,  a.  d.  727. 

St.  Hugh  of  Grenoble.  This  saint  was  Bishop  of  Grenoble  at 
the  time  when  St.  Bruno  founded  the  first  Chartreuse.  Hugh  often 
retired  to  the  monastery,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  life  of  the  most 
humble  and  penitent  brother.  One  of  the  miracles  related  as  being 
performed  by  him  is  the  changing  of  fowls  into  tortoises,  when  his 
Carthusian  brethren  could  eat  no  flesh  and  could  obtain  no  fish.  It 
is  said  that  Satan  tempted  Hugli  forty  years,  by  whispering  continu- 
ally in  his  ear  doubts  of  God's  Providence,  on  account  of  his  permit- 
ting sin  in  the  world.  The  saint  fasted  and  did  penance  continually 
on  account  of  this  temptation,  and  it  never  obtained  dominion  over 
him  sufficiently  to  weaken  his  faith  in  God.     April  1,  a.  d.  1132. 

St.  Hugh,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  was  also  a  Carthusian,  IJe 
was  sent  to  Kngland  in  112(5,  and  made  Bishop  of  Lincoln.  The 
cathedral,  which  had  been  destroyed  by  an  earthqiuike,  was  rebuilt  by 
St.  Plugh.  It  is  a  fine  specimen  of  the  best  Gothic  architecture.  Of 
all  the  munificent  gifts  of  its  founder,  the  only  one  remaining  is  the 
glass  in  one  window,  which  is  painted  with  scenes  from  his  life.  His 
pr()i)er  attribute  is  a  swan,  typical  of  solitude,  which  was  his  delight. 
Xovombor  17,  A.  n.  USD. 

St.  Hugh,  Martyr.  Tiio  legend  connected  with  this  martyr 
relates  that  this  child,  who  is  represented  as  about  three  years  old, 
was  stolen  by  the  Jews   and  crucified   by   them   in   ridicule  of  the 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  145" 

Saviour  of  the  Christians,  and  in  revenge  for  the  cruelties  which  the 
Jews  suffered  in  Christian  countries.  There  are  three  other  saints 
who  have  been  canonized  on  account  of  having  suffered  the  same 
martyrdom  :  St.  WiUiam  of  Norwich,  a.  d.  1137  ;  St.  Richard  of  Pon- 
toise,  A.  D.  1182;  and  St.  Simon  of  Trent,  a.  d.  1472.  The  date  of 
St.  Hugh's  death  is  in  1255,  August  27. 

St.  Hyacinth  belonged  to  the  family  of  the  Aldrovanski,  one  of 
the  most  noble  in  Silesia.  .He  was  educated  in  Bologna,  and  was 
distinguished  not  only  for  his  intellectual  superiority,  but  for  his 
piety,  and  his  prudence  and  judgment  in  everything  he  attempted  to 
do.  Soon  after  the  completion  of  his  studies,  with  his  cousin  Ceslas, 
he  accompanied  his  uncle  Ivo,  who  was  Bishop  of  Cracow,  to  Rome. 
There  they  listened  to  the  preaching  of  St.  Dominick,  which  so  moved 
the  heart  of  Ivo  that  he  besought  the  saint  to  send  one  of  his  order 
on  a  mission  to  his  far-off  and  half-heathen  country.  But  Dominick 
had  no  disciple  to  send,  as  all  were  engaged  elsewhere.  Then  the 
young  Hyacinth  declared  his  intention  to  become  a  monk,  and  to 
preach  to  his  ignorant  and  barbarous  countrymen.  Ceslas  joined 
him,  and  they  took  the  vows  and  the  habit  of  the  Dominicans  in 
the  church  of  St.  Sabina  at  Rome.  For  forty  years  Hyacinth  jour- 
neyed and  preached  in  all  the  northern  countries.  It  is  said  that 
his  travels  extended  from  Scotland  to  the  Chinese  boundaries.  He 
founded  various  monasteries;  and  it  is  related  of  him  that,  his  con- 
vent in  Kiov  in  Russia  being  sacked,  he  escaped,  bearing  the  Pyx 
and  the  ifnage  of  the  Virgin,  which  he  had  taken  from  the  altar. 
He  reached  the  banks  of  the  Dniester,  pursued  by  the  Tartars.  The 
river  was  much  swollen ;  but  being  determined  to  preserve  the  pre- 
cious objects  from  desecration  by  the  pagans,  he  prayed  to  Heaven, 
and  plunged  into  the  river.  The  waters  sustained  him,  and  he  walked 
over  as  on  dry  land.  He  died  at  his  monastery  in  Cracow,  to  which 
he  returned  woni  out  by  his  labors  and  exposures.  Anne  of  Austria, 
after  her  marriage,  requested  the  King  of  Poland  to  send  her  some 
relics  of  St.  Hyacinth.  This  he  did,  and  they  were  placed  in  the 
Dominican  Convent  at  Paris.  From  this  time  the  saint  became  an 
object  of  veneration  in  France,  where  many  pictures  of  him  are  seen. 
September  11,  a.  d.  1257.^ 

1  St.  Hyacinth,  with  his  brother,  St.  Protus,  is  mentioned  in  the  Liberian 
Calendar  as  having  suffered  martyrdom  under  Diocletian,  A.  d.  304. 

10 


146  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

St.  Ignatius  of  Antioch  {Lat.  S.  Ignatius ;  Ital.  Sant*  Igiiazio ; 
Fr.  6t.  i^uacu  ;  (Jtr.  iJcr  licilige  Igiuiz,  His  Greek  title  is  0€o<f>6po^, 
"  iuspired ").  Tradition  says  that  this  Ignatius  is  tiie  same  whom 
Jesus  presented,  wJicii  a  child,  to  his  disciples,  with  the  words,  "Who- 
soever shall  receive  one  of  such  chddren  in  my  name,  receiveth  me." 
He  was  a  disci])le  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  and  the  dear  friend  of 
Polycarp.  It  is  also  said  that  on  account  of  his  perfect  purity  of 
thought  and  life,  he  was  permitted  to  hear  the  music  of  the  angels, 
and  that  from  the  angelic  choirs  he  Icjirned  the  singing  of  God's 
praises  in  responses,  which  he  introduced  into  his  church  after  he 
was  Bishop  of  Antioch.  The  Emperor  Trajan,  after  one  of  his  vic- 
tories, commanded  sacrifices  to  the  gods  in  every  province  of  his 
empire.  The  Christians  refused  to  obey.  Trajan  came  to  Antioch, 
and  sending  for  Ignatius  charged  him  with  the  perversion  of  the 
hearts  of  his  people,  and  promised  him  great  favors  if  he  would  sacri- 
fice in  a  pagan  temple.  But  Ignatius  scornfully  refused,  and  said  he 
would  worshi[)  only  the  tr\ie  and  living  God.  Then  Trajan  asked 
how  he  could  call  Him  living  who  had  died  upon  a  cross.  But  Igna- 
tius spurned  the  idea  of  any  God  but  the  Lord,  and  Trajan  com- 
manded him  to  be  imprisoned,  and  reserved  for  the  amphitheatre  at 
Rome.  Ignatius  rejoiced  in  his  sentence,  and  set  out  on  his  journey 
with  great  courage.  At  Smyrna  he  saw  Polycarp  and  other  Christians, 
whom  he  encouraged  to  labor  for  the  Church,  and  if  need  be  to  die 
for  it.  Arrived  at  Rome,  on  a  feast  day  he  was  set  in  the  midst 
of  the  amphitheatre.  He  addressed  the  people  thus :  "  Men  and 
Romans,  know  ye  that  it  is  not  for  any  crime  that  I  am  placed  here, 
but  for  the  glory  of  that  God  whom  I  worship.  I  am  as  the  wheat 
of  his  field,  and  must  be  ground  by  the  teeth  of  the  lions,  that  I  may 
become  bread  worthy  of  being  served  up  to  him."  According  to  one 
tradition  lie  fell  dead  before  the  lions  reached  him,  and  his  body  was 
not  touched  by  them.  Another  says  that  they  tore  him  and  devoured 
him,  leaving  only  a  few  bones.  Whatever  remained  of  him  was  car- 
ried by  his  friends  to  Antioch ;  and  it  is  said  his  relics  were  brought 
ngain  to  Rome,  an<l  placed  in  the  church  of  St.  Clement  in  540,  or 
near  that  time.     FeViruary  1,  a.  d.  107. 

St.  Ignatius  Loyola,  who  was  the  founder  of  the  Order  of  the 
Jesuits,  was  in  his  youth  a  page  in  the  court  of  Ferdinand  the 
Catholic ;  and  later,  a  brave  and  gay  soldier.     His  family  was  one  of 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  147 

the  most  noble,  and  Ignatius  was  filled  with  pride  of  race,  and  was 
vain  of  his  handsome  person.  At  Pampeluna,  when  thirty  years  old, 
he  was  wounded  in  both  legs  ;  and  the  most  torturing  operations 
which  he  endured  in  order  to  prevent  lameness  were  in  vain.  While 
confined  by  these  sufferings,  he  read  the  Life  of  Christ  and  other 
books,  which  resulted  in  his  resolving  to  devote  himself  to  the  service 
of  the  Blessed  Mother  of  God,  and  that  of  her  Son,  whose  soldier  he 
would  be.  As  soon  as  possible  he  laid  his  sword  and  lance  upon  the 
altar  of  Our  Lady  of  Montserrat,  and  went  to  Manresa.  Here  he 
was  subject  to  great  temptations,  and  Satan  so  tormented  him  with 
doubts  as  to  make  him  almost  a  maniac ;  but  at  length  by  celestial 
visions  he  was  restored  to  hope  and  confirmed  in  faith.  He  then 
attempted  to  go  to  Jerusalem,  but  was  prevented,  and  obliged  to 
remain  in  Spain.  Xot  being  allowed  to  teach  on  account  of  his 
ignorance  of  theology,  he  submitted  to  a  tedious  course  of  study. 
After  a  time  he  went  to  Paris,  where  he  made  the  acquaintance  of 
five  men  who  sympathized  with  his  views,  and  who,  with  a  few  others, 
formed  themselves  into  a  community  under  his  direction.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  usual  monastic  vows  of  poverty,  chastity,  and  obedience, 
they  promised  unreserved  obedience  to  the  pope,  and  to  go  to  any 
part  of  the  globe  whither  he  should  send  them.  There  were  three 
especial  duties  belonging  to  this  order,  which  was  called  the  "  Com- 
pany of  Jesus  : "  first,  preaching ;  second,  the  guidance  of  souls  in 
confession  ;  and  third,  the  teaching  of  the  young.  It  was  three  years 
before  Ignatius  obtained  the  confirmation  of  the  order  of  which  he 
was  the  first  General.  He  had  many  visions ;  he  suffered  great 
temptations,  and  performed  severe  penances.  Numerous  miracles 
have  been  wrought  through  his  intercession.  On  his  way  to  Eome, 
it  is  said  the  Saviour  appeared  to  him,  bearing  his  cross  and  saving, 
"  Ego  vobis  Eomse  propitius  ero,"  and  again  an  angel  held  before 
him  a  tablet  thus  inscribed,  "  In  hoc  vocabitur  tibi  nomen."  July 
31,  A.  D.  1556. 

St.  Ildefonso  or  Alfonso  {Ger.  Der  Heilige  Ildephons).  This 
saint  was  one  of  the  first  Benedictines  in  Spain.  He  devoted  himself 
to  the  service  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  wrote  a  book  to  prove  her 
perpetual  virginity.  He  had  two  remarkable  visions.  In  one  St. 
Leocadia,  to  whom  he  had  vowed  particular  devotion,  rose  out  of  her 
tomb  to  assure  him  of  the  favor  of  the  Virgin,  and  of  the  approval  of 


148  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

his  treatise  in  her  praise.  The  saint  wore  a  Spanish  mantilla,  and 
Iklefouso  cut  oft'  a  corner  of  it,  which  was  preserved  in  her  chapel  at 
Toledo.  Again,  as  he  entered  his  church  at  midnight,  at  the  head 
of  a  procession,  he  saw  a  great  light  about  the  high  altar.  All  were 
alarmed  save  himself.  Approaching,  he  beheld  the  Virgin  seated  on 
his  ivory  throne,  surrounded  by  angels,  and  chanting  a  service.  He 
J?owed  before  her,  and  she  said,  "  Come  hither,  most  faithful  servant 
of  God,  and  receive  this  robe,  which  I  have  brought  thee  from  the 
treasury  of  my  Son."  Then  she  threw  over  him,  as  he  knelt,  a 
cassock  of  heavenly  texture,  and  the  angels  adjusted  it.  From  that 
time  he  never  occupied  the  throne  or  wore  the  gai-ment.  Archbishop 
Sisiberto  died  on  account  of  his  presumption  in  endeavoring  to  wear 
the  robe  and  sit  on  the  throne.  Ildefonso  was  the  archbishop,  and  is 
the  patron  saint  of  Toledo.     January  23,  a.  d.  667. 

Innocents,  The  Massacre  of  (Ital.  Gli  Innocent!  Fanciulli 
Martiri,  I  >S;uiti  Bambini  Martiri ;  Fr.  Les  Innocents;  Ger.  Die  Un- 
schiildigen  Kindlein).  These  murdered  infants  are  regarded  with 
•  especial  honor  by  the  Church,  as  being  the  first  Christian  martyrs ; 
and  in  a  sense  they  are  so.  While  we  connect  willingness  to  suffer 
for  Christ  with  martyrdom,  still  it  is  true  that  unconsciously  these 
children  suffered  for  him,  since  it  was  on  account  of  his  birth  that 
they  were  destroyed.  They  are  represented  with  martjTs'  palms. 
Sometimes  they  sustain  the  cross  and  the  instruments  of  torture ; 
again  they  surround  the  Madonna  and  Child,  or  are  received  into 
heaven  by  the  Infant  Saviour. 

St.  Isabella  of  France,  who  founded  the  convent  at  Long- 
champs,  was  sister  to  the  saintly  King  Louis.  She  was  educated 
with  her  brother  by  their  mother,  Blanche  of  Castile.  She  dedicated 
her  convent  to  the  "Humility  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,"  and  gave  to  it 
all  her  dowry.  As  long  as  the  convent  existed,  the  festival  of  this 
saint  was  celebrated  with  great  splendor.     February  22,  A.  D.  1270. 

St.  Isidore  the  Ploughman  (Ital.  Sant'  Isidoro  Agricola ;  *^;>. 
San  Isidro  el  Labrador).  Tlie  Spanish  legend  tells  us  that  this  saint 
could  not  read  or  write.  His  father  was  a  poor  laborer,  and  he  him- 
self was  the  servant  of  a  farmer,  named  Juan  de  Vargas.  Isidore 
spent  much  time  in  prayer,  and  his  master  went  one  day  to  the  field 
determined  to  forbid  what  he  considered  a  waste  of  time.  As  he 
came  near  he  saw  two  angels  guiding  the  plough,  while  the  saint 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  149 

knelt  at  his  devotions  near  by.  One  day  when  his  master  thirsted, 
Isidore  struck  a  rook  with  his  goad,  and  pure  water  flowed  out.  He 
restored  a  child  to  life  by  his  prayers,  and  performed  various  other 
miracles.     May  10,  a.  d.  1170. 

St.  Isidore,  Bishop  of  Seville,  is  styled  the  "  Egregius  Doctor 
Hispanise."  His  brother  Leander,  who  preceded  him  in  his  bishopric, 
is  called  the  "  Apostle  of  the  Goths,"  and  they  are  both  distinguished 
for  their  opposition  to  the  Arian  heresy.  In  Spanish  pictures  they 
are  represented  with  Ferdinand  of  Castile  and  St.  Hermengildus. 
In  the  church  of  St.  Isidore,  at  Seville,  is  a  magnificent  picture  (El 
Transito  de  San  Isidore),  which  represents  him  dying  on  the  steps  of 
the  altar,  having  given  all  his  property  to  the  poor.  Both  these 
brothers  are  patron  saints  of  Seville.     April  4,  a.  d.  606. 

St.  Ives  of  Bretagne  {Ital.  Sant'  Ivo ;  on  account  of  his  pro- 
fession, he  is  styled  ''Saint  Yves-Helori,  Avocat  des  Pauvres").  He 
belonged  to  a  noble  family,  and  from  his  mother,  Aza  du  Plessis  who 
conducted  his  early  education,  he  derived  his  remarkable  piety.  As 
a  boy  he  had  an  ambition  to  be  a  saint.  He  was  but  fourteen  when 
he  went  to  Paris,  and  here  and  afterwards  at  Orleans  he  devoted  him- 
self to  legal  studies.  It  has  been  said  that  lawyers  have  chosen  him 
as  their  patron  rather  than  pattern,  as  he  was  distinguished  for 
his  love  of  justice  and  its  vindication  under  all  circumstances.  All 
through  his  years  of  study  he  gave  many  hours  to  religious  duties, 
and  especially  to  the  labors  of  charity.  He  also  at  this  time  made 
a  vow  of  celibacy.  After  returning  home  he  studied  theology.  At 
the  age  of  thirty  he  was  made  judge  advocate.  He  always  at- 
tempted to  reconcile  contending  parties  without  resorting  to  law,  and 
was  always  ready  to  plead  for  the  poor  without  recompense.  At 
length  he  entered  the  priesthood.  Before  assuming  his  priestly  gar- 
ments he  gave  those  he  had  worn  to  the  poor,  and  went  out  from 
the  hospital  where  he  had  distributed  them  with  bare  head  and  feet. 
When  a  priest,  he  continued  to  be  the  Advocate  of  the  Poor,  and  his 
double  duties  wore  on  his  health.  He  died  at  the  age  of  fifty.  He 
is  the  patron  of  lawyers  in  all  Europe.     May  19,  a.  d.  1303. 

St.  James  the  Great  {Lat.  S.  Jacobus  Major ;  Ital.  San  Gia- 
como,  or  Jacopo,  Maggiore ;  Fr.  St.  Jacques  Majeur ;  Sp.  San  Jago, 
or  Santiago,  El  Tutelar).  St.  James,  called  the  Major,  the  Great, 
or  the  Elder,   is  presented   to  us   in  two  very  different  characters 


150  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

each  being  important  and  full  of  interest.  First,  in  the  Gospels 
as  the  brother  of  the  Evangelist,  and  a  near  kinsman  and  favorite 
disciple  of  our  Lord.  He  was  much  with  Jesus,  and  present  at  many 
of  the  most  important  events  in  his  life,  such  as  his  transfiguration 
and  the  agony  in  the  Garden.  Still,  after  the  Saviour's  ascension, 
nothing  is  told  of  him  save  that  he  was  slain  by  Herod.  But  in  his 
second  character,  as  patron  saint  of  Spain,  we  can  make  no  com- 
plaint of  the  meagreness  of  the  writings  concerning  him.  The 
legends  of  him  and  his  works  would  till  a  volume  ;  and  he  is  said  to 
have  appeared  after  death  at  the  head  of  the  Spanish  armies  on 
thirty-eight  different  occasions.  The  Spanish  legend,  while  it  makes 
Santiago  the  son  of  Zebedee  and  a  native  of  Galilee,  does  not  repre- 
sent him  as  a  poor  fisherman  who  followed  that  vocation  for  a  live- 
lihood, but  as  a  nobleman's  son  who  accompanied  his  father  and 
brother  in  a  boat,  attended  by  servants,  merely  for  pastime  and  sport. 
But  so  heavenly-minded  was  this  young  nobleman,  that  he  was 
greatly  attracted  to  Jesus,  and  chose  to  follow  him  in  all  his  labors, 
witnessing  his  wonderful  miracles  and  imbibing  his  spirit  and  teach- 
ing. After  the  ascension  of  Christ,  James  preached  first  in  Judaea, 
and  then,  travelling  as  a  missionary  to  bear  the  news  of  the  Gospel 
to  all  the  earth,  came  at  last  to  Spain.  Here  he  made  few  converts 
on  account  of  the  dreadful  ignorance  and  idolatry  of  the  people. 
At  length,  as  he  was  standing  one  day  on  the  banks  of  the  Ebro, 
the  Virgin  appeared  to  him,  and  commanded  him  to  build  there  a 
church  under  her  patronage,  assuring  him  that  in  the  future  this 
pagan  land  should  devoutly  worship  her  divine  Son  and  honor  her- 
self. He  obeyed ;  and  having  estal)lished  the  fixith  in  Spain,  he 
returned  to  Judaea,  where  he  preached  until  his  death  many  years 
after.  The  Jews  were  very  bitter  in  their  persecutions  of  James ; 
and  one  Hermogenes,  a  sorcerer,  especially  opposed  him.  He  sent 
one  of  his  pupils,  Philetus,  to  oppose  him  in  argument.  James  sig- 
nally defeated  the  Jew,  and  moreover  converted  him  to  the  Christian 
Faith.  This  greatly  enraged  Hermogenes,  who  in  revenge  bound 
Philetus  by  his  spells,  and  then  told  him  to  let  his  new  teacher 
deliver  him.  IMiiletus  sent  his  servant  to  James,  who,  when  he 
heard  his  story,  sent  his  cloak  to  his  new  disciple  ;  and  as  soon  as 
Pliiletus  touched  it  ho  freed  himself  and  went  to  James  with  haste. 
Hermo<;cnes  then   sent  a  band   uf  demons  with  orders  to  bind   both 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  151 

James  and  Philetus  and  bring  them  to  him  ;  but  on  the  way  they 
met  a  company  of  angels,  who  punished  them  severely.  St,  James 
then  ordered  the  demons  to  bring  Hermogenes  bound  to  him.  They 
obeyed,  and  besought  him,  as  they  laid  the  sorcerer  at  his  feet,  that 
he  would  be  revenged  for  them  and  himself  on  a  common  enemy. 
But  James  assured  them  that  his  Master  had  taught  him  to  do  good 
for  evil,  and  so  released  the  prisoner.  Hermogenes  cast  all  his  books 
into  the  sea,  and  entreated  James  to  protect  him  from  the  demons 
who  had  been  his  slaves.  The  Apostle  gave  him  his  own  staff ;  and 
from  that  time  the  persecutor  became  the  earnest  and  faithful  dis- 
ciple, and  preached  the  Faith  with  great  fruit.  At  length  the  Jews 
were  determined  to  destroy  him,  and  sent  to  drag  him  before  Herod 
Agrippa.  His  gentleness,  and  the  miracles  which  he  did  on  the  way, 
so  touched  the  soul  of  one  of  his  tormentors  that  he  begged  to  die 
with  him.  James  gave  him  a  kiss,  saying  "  Pax  vobis ; "  and  from 
this  arose  the  "  kiss  of  peace,"  which  has  been  used  as  a  benediction 
in  the  Church  from  that  time. 

The  saint  and  his  last  convert  were  then  beheaded.  The  legend 
of  the  dead  body  of  James  is  far  more  wonderful  than  any  of  his  life. 
His  disciples  took  his  body,  but,  not  daring  to  bury  it,  put  it  on  a 
ship  at  Joppa.  Many  accounts  are  given  of  this  miraculous  vessel. 
Some  say  it  was  of  marble,  but  all  agree  that  angels  conducted  it  to 
Spain.  In  seven  days  they  sailed  through  the  Pillars  of  Hercules 
and  landed  at  Iria  Flavia,  or  Padron.  They  bore  the  body  on  shore 
and  laid  it  on  a  large  stone,  which  became  like  wax  and  received  the 
body  into  itself.  This  was  a  sign  that  the  saint  desired  to  remain 
there.  But  the  country  w^as  ruled  by  a  very  wicked  queen,  who 
commanded  that  they  should  place  the  stone  on  a  car  and  attach 
wild  bulls  to  it,  thinking  that  they  would  dash  it  in  pieces.  But  tlie 
bulls  gently  drew  the  car  into  the  court  of  Lupa's  palace.  Tlien  she 
was  converted,  and  built  a  magnificent  church  to  receive  the  body  ot 
James.  Afterwards  the  knowledge  of  his  burial-place  was  lost  until 
the  year  800,  when  it  was  revealed  to  a  priest.  The  remains  were 
removed  to  Compostella,  which  became  one  of  the  most  fomous  ot 
shrines,  on  account  of  the  miracles  wrought  there.  The  Order  of  St. 
Jago  was  instituted  by  Don  Alphonso  for  its  protection,  and  was  one 
of  the  most  honorable  and  wealthy  in  all  Spain.  The  fame  of  the 
shrine  of  Compostella  spread  over  Europe,  and  in  some  years  it  was 


152  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

visited  by  a  hundred  tlioiisand  pilgrims.  One  of  the  most  curious 
of  the  legends  of  this  saint,  and  one  frequently  treated  in  art,  is  con- 
nected with  three  of  these  pious  pilgrims.  A  German  with  his  wife 
and  sou  made  a  pilgrimage  to  the  shrine  of  St.  James,  and  lodged 
at  Torlosa  on  the  way.  The  son  was  a  handsome  youth,  and  the 
daughter  of  the  Torlosa  innkeeper  conceived  a  wicked  passion  for 
him.  He,  being  a  virtuous  young  man,  and  moreover  on  a  pious 
pilgrimage,  repulsed  her  advances.  She  determined  to  revenge  this 
slight  to  her  charms,  and  hid  her  father's  silver  drinking-cup  in  liis 
wallet.  As  soon  as  it  was  missed,  she  directed  suspicion  to  the 
young  pilgrim.  He  was  followed,  and  the  cup  found  in  his  sack. 
He  was  then  taken  to  the  judge,  who  sentenced  him  to  be  hung;  and 
all  that  the  family  had  was  confiscated.  The  afflicted  parents  con- 
tinued on  their  pilgrimage,  and  sought  consolation  at  the  altar  of 
Santiago.  On  their  return  they  stopped  at  the  gibbet  where  their 
son  had  hung  for  thirty-six  days.  And  the  son  spoke  to  them  and 
said,  "  0  ray  mother !  0  my  father  !  do  not  lament  for  me ;  I  have 
never  been  in  better  cheer.  The  blessed  apostle  James  is  at  my  side, 
sustaining  me,  and  filling  me  with  celestial  comfort  and  jo}'."  The 
parents,  being  amazed,  hastened  to  the  judge.  He  was  seated  at  the 
table.  The  mother  rushed  in,  and  exclaimed,  "  Our  son  lives  !  "  The 
judge  mocked  them,  and  said,  "What  sayest  thou,  good  woman  1 
Thou  art  beside  thyself!  If  thy  son  lives,  so  do  those  fowls  in  my 
dish."  He  had  hardly  spoken  when  the  two  fowls,  which  were  a 
cock  and  a  hen,  rose  up  feathered  in  the  dish,  and  the  cock  began  to 
crow.  The  judge  called  the  priests  and  lawyers,  and  they  went  to  the 
place  of  execution,  and  delivered  the  young  man  to  his  parents.  The 
cock  and  hen  thus  miraculously  resuscitated  were  placed  nnder  the 
protection  of  religious,  and  their  posterity  preserved  for  a  long  time. 
The  most  notable  occasion  upon  which  St.  James  appeared  to  lead 
the  soldiers  of  Spain  was  in  the  year  939,  when  King  Ramirez  deter- 
mined not  to  submit  longer  to  the  tribute  of  one  hundred  virgins, 
which  was  annually  paid  to  the  Moors.  He  defied  Abdolraman  to  a 
battle  which  took  place  on  the  plain  of  Alveida,  or  Clavijo.  After 
a  furious  contest  the  Christians  were  driven  back.  That  night  St. 
James  appeared  to  Kamirez,  and  promised  to  bo  with  him  the  follow- 
ing day,  and  give  him  the  victory.  The  king  related  this  to  his 
ofhcers,  and  also  to  his  soldiers  when  they  were  ready  for  the  lieKl. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  153 

He  recommended  them  to  trust  to  the  heavenly  aid  which  had  been 
promised.  The  whole  army  caught  the  spirit  of  their  king,  and 
rushed  to  battle.  Immediately  St.  James  appeared  at  their  head  on 
a  milk-white  charger,  waving  a  white  standard.  He  led  them  to 
victory,  and  sixty  thousand  Moors  were  left  dead  on  the  field.  From 
that  day  "  Santiago ! "  has  been  the  Spanish  war-cry.  In  early 
works  of  art  St.  James  is  usually,  if  not  always,  represented  with  the 
other  Apostles,  and  may  be  known  by  his  pl,ace,  which  is  the  third. 
But  later  he  has  been  portrayed  in  all  the  different  scenes  of  his  life, 
and  very  frequently  as  a  pilgrim  of  Compostella.  In  this  character 
he  bears  the  pilgrim's  staff  and  wallet,  the  cloak  and  shell,  while  his 
hat  is  often  on  his  shoulder.  The  most  effective  representation  of 
this  that  I  have  seen  is  the  statue  by  Thorwaldsen  in  the  Church 
of  Our  Lady  at  Copenhagen.     July  25,  a.  d.  44. 

St.  James  Minor  {Fr.  St.  Jaques  Mineur ;  Ital.  San  Jacopo  or 
Giacomo  Minore  ;  Lat.  S.  Jacobus  Frater  Domini ;  Gr.  ^khck.(^66eo<ij 
"brother  of  the  Lord").  This  saint  has  another  most  honorable 
title  of  "  The  Just."  He  was  the  son  of  Cleophas  and  Mary,  the 
sister  of  the  Virgin  Mary ;  in  reality  cousin-german  to  the  Saviour, 
but  often  styled  "the  Lord's  brother."  The  epistle  which  he  wrote 
beautifully  speaks  the  piety  and  love  for  which  he  was  venerated. 
He  is  distinguished  as  the  first  Christian  Bishop  of  Jerusalem.  The 
Jews  threw  him  down  from  one  of  the  terraces  of  the  Temple ;  and 
as  he  fell  his  brains  were  beaten  out  with  a  fuller's  club,  which 
instrument  of  his  death  is  his  proper  attribute  in  works  of  art. 
When  the  Apostles  are  all  represented,  St.  James  the  Less  is  the 
ninth  in  order.  The  legends  relate  that  James  bore  a  striking  resem- 
blance to  Jesus,  so  much  so  that  they  were  at  times  mistaken  for 
each  other,  and  that  it  was  this  circumstance  which  made  necessary 
the  kiss  of  Judas.  James  made  a  vow  that  he  would  not  eat  bread 
from  the  time  that  he  partook  of  the  Last  Supper  until  he  should 
see  Jesus  raised  from  the  dead.  Soon  after  his  resurrection  the 
Saviour  went  to  show  himself  to  James,  and  asked  for  a  table  and 
bread.  He  blessed  the  bread,  and  gave  it  to  James,  saying,  "My 
brother,  eat  thy  bread  ;  for  the  Son  of  man  is  risen  from  among 
them  that  sleep."     May  1. 

St.  Januarius  {Ital.  San  Gennaro ;  Fr.  St.  Janvier).  This  saint, 
who  was  Bishop  of  Benevento,   came   in  the   tenth  persecution   to 


154  LEGEXDS  AND  STORIES 

Naples  with  six  of  his  disciples,  to  comfort  and  cheer  the  Christians. 
The}'  were  seized  and  thrown  to  the  beasts  of  the  amphitheatre,  but 
these  would  not  harm  them.  Jauuarius  was  then  thrown  into  a  fiery 
furnace,  wliich  hurt  him  not;  and  at  last  he  was  beheaded.  He  is 
represented  as  a  bisiiop  with  the  palm,  and  usually  with  Mt.  Vesuvius 
in  the  distance ;  for  he  is  the  patron  saint  of  Naples,  and  its  pro- 
tector from  the  fearful  eruptions  of  the  volcano.  The  miracle  of  the 
blood  of  Januarius  is  too  well  known  to  need  description  here.  Sep- 
tenil)er  1 9,  a.  d.  305. 

St.  Jerome  {Lat.  S.  Hieronymus;  Ital.  San  Geronimo  or  Giro- 
lamo ;  Fr.  St.  Jerome,  Hiurome,  or  Geroisme ;  Ger.  Der  Ileilige 
Hieronimus).  St.  Jerome  has  universal  importance  and  consideration 
on  account  of  "  The  Vulgate,"  his  translation  of  the  New  Testament 
into  Latin,  and  also  that  which  his  wonderful  piety  and  learning 
must  inevitably  command  ;  but  in  the  Catholic  Church  he  is  ad- 
ditionally venerated  for  his  advocacy  of  the  Virginal  Life  for  men 
and  women. ^  He  was  the  son  of  Eusebius,  a  rich  Dalmatian  of 
Stridonium,  and  was  born  about  342.  Being  a  scholar  of  more  than 
usual  promise,  he  was  sent  to  Rome  to  complete  his  studies.  There 
for  a  time  he  led  a  life  of  pleasure ;  but  at  length  he  became  distin- 
guished as  a  lawyer,  and  especially  so  on  account  of  his  eloquence  in 
pleading  his  cause.  At  about  thirty  years  of  age  he  was  baptized, 
and  at  the  same  time  took  a  vow  of  celibacy.  After  having  journeyed 
into  Gaul,  he  went  in  373  to  the  East,  to  gratify  an  insatiable  desire 
to  live  among  the  scenes  where  Christ  had  dwelt.  He  became  so 
enamoured  of  the  hermit  life,  which  was  then  so  common  in  the 
Orient,  that  he  retired  to  a  desert  in  Chalcis,  where  he  passed  four 
years  in  study  and  seclusion.  But  this  time  was  not  without  its 
recollections  of  another  life,  and  longings  for  both  the  sins  and  pleas- 
ures of  the  past.  He  says  :  "  Oh,  how  often  in  tlic  desert,  in  that  vast 
solitude  which,  parched  by  the  sultry  sun,  ailords  a  dwelling  to  the 
monks,  did  I  fancy  myself  in  the  midst  of  the  luxuries  of  Home  !  I 
sat  alone,  for  I  was  full  of  bitterness."  But  one  thing  which  catised 
him  severe  trials  was  his  love  of  learning  and  his  appreciation  of  all 
that  was  elegant  and  beautiful  in  the  ancient  classics.  This  gave  him 
a  disgust  fur  the  crudcness  of  the  Christian  writers,  and  it  was  a  fciir- 

1  St.  Benedict,  however,  ia  regarded  as  the  father  of  Monasticism  \\\  the  West. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  155 

fill  struggle  for  him  to  master  the  Hebrew.  All  this  appeared  to  him 
as  great  imperfection.  He  says  that  he  fasted  before  he  read  Cicero, 
and  he  describes  a  vision  which  these  mental  struggles  undoubt- 
edly caused.  He  thought  he  heard  the  last  trumpet  sounded,  and 
that  he  was  commanded  to  appear  before  God  for  judgment.  ''Who 
art  thou  I "  was  the  first  question.  Jerome  replied,  "  A  Christian." 
Tiien  came  a  fearful  reply  :  "  'T  is  false  !  thou  art  no  Christian  ; 
thou  art  a  Ciceronian.  Where  the  treasure  is,  there  will  the  heart 
be  also."  After  ten  years  of  heart-rending  temptation  and  struggle, 
of  weary  controversy  and  labors,  he  returned  to  Eome.  Here  he 
l)reached  with  all  the  enthusiastic  eloquence  he  could  command, 
against  the  luxury  of  the  Roman  clergy  and  laity,  and  maintained 
the  necessity  of  extreme  self-denial  and  abstinence.  He  especially 
influenced  the  Roman  women,  some  of  the  most  distinguished  becom- 
ing converts  to  his  preaching  of  Christ  crucified,  and  ready  to  follow 
him  in  any  self-sacrifice.  Paula,  a  descendant  of  the  Scipios  and 
Gracchi,  whose  cell  is  shown  in  the  monastery  at  Bethlehem,  was 
perhaps  the  most  celebrated  of  these  converts,  but  Marcella  is  an- 
other name  handed  down  to  us  with  his.  She  is  by  some  held  to  be 
the  first  who  founded  a  religious  community  for  women,  while  others 
give  this  high  honor  to  St.  Martha.  Jerome  remained  but  three 
years  in  Rome,  when  he  returned  to  his  monastery  at  Bethlehem. 
Here  he  died ;  and  when  he  knew  that  death  was  approaching,  he 
desired  to  be  borne  into  the  chapel,  where  he  received  the  last  rites 
of  the  Church,  expiring  soon  after.  He  left  many  epistles  and  con- 
troversial writings,  and  the  cell  in  which  he  wrote  at  Bethlehem  is 
regarded  with  great  veneration.  The  Jeronymites  were  distinguished 
for  the  magnificence  of  some  of  their  churches  and  convents.  The 
Escurial  was  theirs,  as  well  as  the  Monastery  of  Belem,  in  Portugal, 
and  that  of  St.  Just,  to  which  Charles  V.  retired  when  he  gave  up  his 
throne.  The  proper  attributes  of  St.  Jerome  are  books,  illustrative 
of  his  writings,  and  the  lion,  which  is  emblematic  of  the  boldness  and 
watchfulness  of  the  saint ;  but  there  is  also  a  legend  which  accounts 
for  the  association  of  the  lion  with  the  holy  man.  One  evening  he 
was  sitting  at  the  gate  of  his  monastery  when  a  lion  entered,  limp- 
ing, as  if  wounded.  The  monks  fled,  terrified,  except  Jerome,  who 
went  to  meet  the  lion.  Tlie  poor  beast  lifted  his  paw,  and  in  it 
Jerome  found  a  thorn,  which  he  extracted,  and  then  tended  the  wound 


156  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

till  it  was  healed.  The  lion  remained  with  the  saint,  and  he  made  it 
the  duty  of  the  beast  to  guard  an  ass  which  brought  wood  from  the 
forest.  One  day,  while  the  lion  slept,  a  caravan  of  merchants  passed, 
and  they  stole  the  ass  and  drove  it  away.  The  lion  returned  to  the 
convent  with  an  air  of  shame.  Jerome  believed  that  he  had  eaten 
the  ass,  and  condenmed  him  to  do  the  work,  of  the  ass,  to  which  the 
lion  quietly  submitted,  until  the  ass  was  a^ain  discovered  by  himself 
in  the  following  manner :  One  day  after  his  task  was  ended,  he  saw 
a  caravan  approaching,  the  camels  of  which  (as  is  the  custom  of  the 
Arabs)  were  led  by  an  ass.  The  lion  immediately  saw  that  it  was 
his  stolen  charge ;  and  he  drove  the  camels  into  the  convent,  whither 
the  ass  gladly  led  them.  The  merchants  acknowledged  the  theft, 
and  St.  Jerome  pardoned  them  for  it.  Hence  the  lion  is  so  often 
associated  with  the  saint ;  but  its  appropriateness  as  a  type  of  his 
wilderness  life  and  his  zealous  and  vehement  nature  is  a  more  satis- 
factory thouglit  than  the  fanciful  wildness  of  this  legend  can  give. 
The  introduction  of  the  cardinal's  hat  into  the  pictures  of  this  saint 
is  a  glaring  anachronism,  as  there  were  no  cardinals  until  three  cen- 
turies later  than  that  in  whicli  he  lived.  St.  Jerome,  as  a  penitent, 
is  the  subject  of  numberless  pictures,  and  his  Last  Communion  by 
Domenichino  (Vatican)  is  one  of  the  most  celebrated  of  all  pictures. 
St.  Jerome  is  the  special  patron  of  students  in  theology.  September 
30,  A.  D.  420. 

Jew,  The  Wandering.     See  Wandering  Jew. 

St.  Joachim  {/tal.  San  Gioacchino  ;  Fr.  St.  Joakim)  was  the 
husband  of  Anna,  and  the  father  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  He  was  of 
Nazareth,  and  his  wife  of  Bethlehem,  and  both  of  the  royal  race  of 
David.  Joachim  was  rich,  and  an  extremely  devout  man.  He  was 
childless ;  and  it  happened  tliat  on  a  certain  feast-day  when  he 
brought  his  offering  to  the  Temple  it  was  refused  by  Issachar,  the 
high-priest,  who  said,  "It  is  not  lawful  for  thee  to  bring  thine  offer- 
ing, seeing  that  thou  hast  not  begot  issue  in  Israel."  Joachim  went 
away  sorrowful;  and  searching  the  registers  of  Israel,  he  found  that 
he  alone,  of  all  the  righteous  men,  was  childless.  And  he  went 
away  and  would  be  seen  by  no  one,  and  built  a  hut,  and  fasted 
forty  days  and  nights,  saying,  **  Until  the  Lord  look  upon  me  merci- 
fully, jmiyer  shall  1)0  my  meat  and  my  drink."  And  Anna  mourned 
grievously  for  her  barrenness  and  for  the  absence  of  her  husband. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  157 

At  length  her  handmaid,  Judith,  wished  to  cheer  her,  and  tried  to 
persuade  her  to  array  herself  and  attend  the  feast.  But  Anna 
repulsed  her  in  such  a  way  that  Judith  was  angry,  and  told  her 
mistress  that  she  could  wish  her  nothing  worse  than  that  which  God 
had  sent  her,  since  he  had  closed  her  womb,  that  she  could  not  be  a 
mother.  Then  Anna  arose  and  put  on  her  bridal  attire,  and  went 
forth  to  her  garden,  and  prayed  earnestly.  And  she  sat  beneath  a 
laurel-tree,  where  a  sparrow  had  a  nest,  and  Anna  said  :  ''  Alas  !  and 
woe  is  me !  Who  hath  begotten  me  1  Who  hath  brought  me  forth, 
that  I  should  be  accursed  in  the  sight  of  Israel,  and  scorned  and 
shamed  before  my  people,  and  cast  out  of  the  temple  of  the  Lord ! 
Woe  is  me  !  to  what  shall  I  be  likened  1  I  cannot  be  likened  to  the 
fowls  of  heaven ;  for  the  fowls  of  heaven  are  fruitful  in  ^thy  sight,  0 
Lord  !  Woe  is  me  !  to  what  shall  I  be  likened  %  Not  to  the  unreason- 
ing beasts  of  the  earth ;  for  they  are  fruitful  in  thy  sight,  0  Lord  ! 
Woe  is  me  !  to  what  shall  I  be  likened  1  Not  to  these  waters ;  for 
they  are  fruitful  in  thy  sight,  0  Lord !  W^oe  is  me !  to  what  shall  I  be 
likened  %  Not  unto  the  earth  ;  for  the  earth  bringeth  forth  her  fruit 
in  due  season,  and  praiseth  thee,  0  Lord ! "  And  immediately  she 
beheld  an  angel  standing  near  her.  And  he  said,  ''Anna,  thy  prayer 
is  heard ;  thou  shalt  bring  forth,  and  thy  child  shall  be  blessed 
throughout  the  whole  world."  And  Anna  replied,  "As  the  Lord 
liveth,  whatever  I  shall  bring  forth,  be  it  a  man  child  or  maid,  I  will 
present  it  an  offering  to  the  Lord."  And  another  angel  came  to  tell 
her  that  Joachim  was  approaching ;  for  an  angel  had  also  spoken  to 
him,  and  he  was  comforted.  Then  Anna  went  to  meet  her  husband, 
who  came  from  the  pasture  with  his  flocks.  And  they  met  by  the 
Golden  Gate,  and  Anna  embraced  him,  and  hung  on  his  neck,  saying, 
"  Now  know  I  that  the  Lord  hath  blessed  me.  I  who  was  a  widow 
am  no  longer  a  widow.  I  who  was  barren  shall  become  a  joyful 
mother."  Then  they  returned  home  together;  and  when  her  time 
was  come,  Anna  brought  forth  a  daughter,  and  she  called  her  Mary, 
which  in  Hebrew  is  Miriam.     March  20. 

St.  John  the  Baptist  {Ital.  San  Giovanni  Battista ;  Fr.  St. 
Jean  Baptiste ;  Ger.  Johann  der  Taufer).  In  Scripture  this  saint, 
the  herald  of  Christ,  is  presented  in  three  characters ;  as  Preacher, 
Prophet,  and  Baptist.  Parts  of  his  story  are  given  by  all  the  Evan- 
gelists, from  the  miraculous  circumstances  attending  his  birth  to  the 


158  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

awfully  sinful  horrors  of  his  death.  To  these,  tradition  has  added  his 
miraculous  deliverance  from  the  assassins  of  Herod,  by  being  enclosed 
with  his  mother  in  a  rock,  when  she  fled  from  the  massacre  with  him 
in  her  arms.  Art  has  represented  him  as  leaving  his  home,  while  yet 
a  child,  to  begin  his  desert  life.  Legends  tell  that  the  scene  of  his 
death  was  the  royal  fortified  palace  of  Macheronta,  near  the  Dead 
Sea,  on  the  river  Jordan;  that  he  was  buried  at  Sebaster,  and  that  his 
head  was  brought  to  Europe  in  453.  He  is  venerated  almost  uni- 
versally, and  is  the  connecting  link  between  the  Old  and  New  Dispen- 
sations, being  the  last  prophet  of  the  former  and  the  first  saint  of 
the  latter.  The  most  ancient  pictures  represent  him  as  meagre  and 
wasted,  with  unshorn  beard  and  hair.  This  would  seem  the  true 
way ;  but  often  in  later  times  he  is  made  beautiful,  and  even  dressed 
in  rich  mantles  which  cover  the  garment  of  camel's  hair.  When 
painted  as  the  Messenger,  he  wears  the  hairy  garment,  and  bears  a 
cup,  a  reed  cross,  and  a  scroll  with  the  inscription,  "Vox  clamantis 
in  deserto,"  or  **  Ecce  Agnus  Dei !  "  The  Greek  signification  of  "  Mes- 
senger" is  "Angel;"  and  this  is  rendered  in  Byzantine  art  by  painting 
him  with  wings.  As  a  witness  to  the  divinity  of  Christ,  he  is  repre- 
sented at  various  ages.  He  is  introduced  into  Holy  Families  in  this 
character  in  many  different  positions,  all  expressive  of  worship  to  the 
Holy  Child.  He  is  patron  of  all  who  are  baptized,  and  also  patron 
saint  of  Florence.  In  baptisteries  he  is  very  frequently  represented 
in  sculpture.  In  the  historical  pictures  of  this  saint,  which  easily 
explain  themselves,  there  is  but  one  peculiarity  to  be  noticed.  That 
to  which  I  refer  is  the  representation  of  the  legend  that  Mary 
prolonged  her  visit  to  Elizabeth  until  the  birth  of  the  child.  In 
these  pictures  !Mary  usually  receives  or  holds  the  babe,  and  is 
known  by  the  glory  alxnit  lier  head.  The  Greek  legends  say  that 
his  death  took  place  two  years  before  that  of  Christ,  and  that  he 
descended  to  Hades  to  remain  until  the  Saviour's  death  should  give 
him  deliverance.  He  bore  to  the  departed  spirits  the  tidings  of 
the  approaching  redemption,  at  which  they  all  rejoiced,  while  the 
devils  were  filled  with  fearful  rage.  Nativity  of  St.  John  the 
Baptist,  June  24. 

St.  John  the  Evangelist  (Greek  title,  ^coXoyo^,  "  "Word  of 
God;"  Lat.  S.  Johannes;  Ital.  San  Giovanni  Evangelista  ;  Fr.  St. 
Jean,  Messire  St.  Jehau;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Johann).     More  is  known 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  159 

of  this  "  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  "  than  of  the  other  Evangelists. 
He  was  son  of  Zebedee,  and  brother  of  James  the  Great.  His  life 
seems  to  have  been  almost  inseparable  from  that  of  the  Master, 
ever  after  his  call  to  follow  him.  He  saw  the  Transfiguration.  He 
leaned  on  the  bosom  of  Our  Lord  at  the  Last  Supper.  He  stood  by 
the  cross,  and  received  the  charge  of  Jesus  concerning  the  Virgin 
Mary,  and  he  laid  the  body  of  the  Saviour  in  the  tomb.  He  went 
with  Peter  through  Judaea,  to  preach  the  Gospel,  after  the  death  of 
Mary.  He  then  went  to  Asia  Minor,  living  chiefly  at  Epbesus,  and 
founding  the  seven  churches.  During  the  persecution  of  Domitian 
he  was  taken,  bound,  to  Rome ;  and  the  Catholic  traditions  tell  that 
he  was  thrown  into  a  caldron  of  boiling  oil  without  injury.  The 
scene  of  this  miracle  w^as  outside  the  Latin  Gate,  and  the  chapel  of 
San  Giovanni  in  Olio  commemorates  the  event.  Being  afterwards 
accused  of  magic,  he  was  exiled  to  Patmos,  where  he  is  believed  to 
have  written  his  Revelation.  Upon  the  death  of  Domitian,  he  was 
allowed  to  return  to  his  church  at  Ephesus.  Here,  when  ninety  years 
old,  he  is  said  to  have  written  his  Gospel.  He  died  at  Ephesus,  at 
the  age  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  years.'^  The  Greek  tradition  is 
that  he  died  without  pain,  and  immediately  arose  again  without 
change,  and  ascended  to  heaven  to  rejoin  Jesus  and  Mary.  The 
legends  of  the  life  and  miracles  of  this  saint  are  extremely  interest- 
ing. St.  Isidore  relates  that  at  Rome  an  attempt  was  made  against 
the  life  of  John,  by  poisoning  the  sacramental  cup.  When  he  took 
the  cup,  the  poison  came  forth  in  the  form  of  a  serpent,  and  he  drank 
the  wine  unhurt,  while  the  poisoner  fell  dead  at  his  feet.  It  is  said 
to  have  been  done  by  order  of  Domitian.  Another  account  says  that 
he  w^as  challenged  to  drink  of  a  poisoned  cup,  in  proof  of  the  author- 
ity of  his  mission,  by  Aristodemus,  the  high-priest  of  Diana  at  Ephe- 
sus, and  that  while  John  was  unhurt,  the  priest  fell  dead.  Clement 
of  Alexandria  relates  that  when  John  was  first  at  Ephesus,  he  took 
under  his  care  a  young  man  of  great  promise.  When  he  was  taken 
away  to  Rome  he  left  this  youth  to  the  care  of  a  bishop.  But  the 
young  man  became  dissipated  in  his  life,  and  at  length  was  the  leader 
of  a  band  of  robbers.  When  John  returned,  he  asked  of  the  bishop 
an  account  of  his  charge;  and  when  he  knew  the  truth,  he  blamed  the 

1  The  tradition  that  he  never  died  exists,  but  has  no  ground  in  CathoHc  belief. 


100  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

unfaithful  o^uardian,  and  suffered  great  grief  on  account  of  the  young 
man.  He  then  went  in  search  of  liis  ward ;  and  wlien  he  reached  his 
abiding-place,  the  captain  of  the  rohbers  tried  to  avoid  his  old  friend. 
But  John  prevailed  on  him  to  listen  to  his  words.  As  John  talked 
to  him,  he  tried  to  conceal  his  hand,  which  had  committed  many 
crimes.  But  John  seized  it,  and  kissing  it,  bathed  it  with  his  tears. 
He  succeeded  in  reconverting  the  robber,  and  reconciled  him  to 
God  and  to  himself.  Again,  two  rich  young  men  sold  their  pos- 
sessions to  follow  the  Apostle.  Afterwards  they  repented,  seeing 
■wliich  John  sent  them  to  gather  stones  and  fagots,  and  changed  these 
to  gold,  saying,  "Take  back  your  riches,  and  enjoy  them  on  earth, 
as  you  regret  having  exchanged  them  for  heaven."  AVhen  John 
returned  to  Ephesus  from  Patmos,  he  met  a  funeral  procession  as 
he  approached  the  city.  "When  he  asked  whose  it  was,  and  heard 
it  was  Drusiana's,  he  was  sad  ;  for  she  had  been  rich  in  good  works, 
and  John  had  dwelt  in  her  house.  He  ordered  the  bearer  to  put 
down  the  bier,  and  he  prayed  earnestly  to  God,  who  restored  the 
woman  to  life  ;  she  arose,  and  John  returned  with  her,  and  dwelt 
again  in  her  house.  Two  wonderful  miracles  are  related  of  John,  as 
being  performed  after  his  death.  King  Edward  the  Confessor  rever- 
enced John  next  to  the  Saviour  and  the  Virgin  Mother.  One  day 
he  attended  a  mass  in  honor  of  St.  John;  and,  returning,  he  met  a 
beggar,  who  asked  him  an  alms  in  the  name  of  God  and  St.  John. 
The  king  drew  from  his  finger  a  ring,  and  gave  it  to  the  man,  un- 
known to  any  one  beside.  When  Edward  had  reigned  twenty-four 
years,  two  Englishmen,  who  had  been  pilgrims  to  the  Holy  Land, 
met  on  their  return  a  man,  also  in  the  garb  of  a  pilgrim.  He  asked 
them  of  their  country,  and  said,  "  When  ye  shall  have  arrived  in 
your  own  country,  go  to  King  Edward,  and  salute  him  in  my  name. 
Say  to  him  that  I  thank  him  for  the  alms  which  he  bestowed  on  me 
in  a  certain  street  in  Westminster ;  for  there,  on  a  certain  day,  as  I 
begged  of  him  an  alms,  he  bestowed  on  me  this  ring,  which  till  now 
I  have  preserved,  and  ye  shall  carry  it  back  to  him,  saying  that  in 
six  months  from  this  time  he  shall  quit  the  world,  and  come  and 
remain  with  me  forever."  Then  the  pilgrims  said,  **Who  art  thou, 
and  where  is  thy  dwelling-place?"  And  he  replied,  "T  am  John  the 
Evangelist.  Edward,  your  king,  is  my  friend,  and  for  the  sanctity  of 
his  life   I   hold  him  dear.     Go  now,   therefore,   deliver  to  him  this 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  161 

message  and  this  ring,  and  I  will  pray  to  God  that  ye  may  arrive 
safely  in  your  own  country."  Having  said  this,  St.  John  gave  them 
the  ring,  and  vanished  out  of  their  sight.  Then  thanking  God  for 
this  glorious  vision,  the  pilgrims  kept  on  their  way,  and  went  to  King 
Edward,  and  delivered  the  ring  and  the  message.  He  received  them 
gladly,  and  entertained  them  as  royal  guests.  He  also  made  prepa- 
rations for  death,  and  gave  the  ring  to  the  Abbot  of  Westminster,  to 
be  forever  preserved  as  a  holy  relic.  This  legend  is  represented  in 
sculpture  in  the  chapel  of  Edward  the  Confessor.  Again,  in  a.  d.  425, 
when  the  Empress  Galla  Placidia  returned  to  Ravenna  from  the 
East,  she  encountered  a  fearful  storm.  She  vowed  to  St.  John ;  and 
being  safely  landed,  she  built  in  his  honor  a  splendid  church.  After 
it  was  done  she  was  greatly  desirous  of  having  some  relics  of  the 
saint  to  consecrate  the  sanctuary.  One  night  as  she  prayed  earnestly, 
the  saint  appeared  to  her ;  and  when  she  threw  herself  down  to  kiss 
his  feet,  he  vanished  and  left  his  sandal  in  her  hand,  —  a  relic 
long  time  preserved.  The  church  of  Galla  Placidia  at  Eavenna, 
though  gi'eatly  changed,  yet  remains;  and  on  it  may  be  traced,  in 
sculpture,  both  the  storm,  and  the  empress  making  her  vow,  and  the 
miracle  of  the  slipper.  St.  John  is  represented  in  art  as  an  evangelist, 
an  apostle,  and  a  prophet.  The  Greeks  represented  him,  whether 
apostle  or  evangelist,  as  an  old,  gray-bearded  man ;  but  in  Western 
art  he  is  never  beyond  middle  age,  and  often  young.  As  a  prophet, 
and  the  instrument  of  the  Eevelation,  he  is  an  aged  man,  with  flow- 
ing beard.  The  scene  is  a  desert  with  the  sea,  to  represent  Patmos, 
while  the  eagle  is  beside  him.  His  proper  colors  are  a  blue  or  green 
tunic,  with  red  drapery ;  and  his  attributes,  beside  the  eagle,  are  the 
pen  and  book,  and  the  cup  either  with  the  serpent  or  the  consecrated 
wafer,  which  latter  typifies  the  institution  of  the  Eucharist.  Some- 
times the  eagle  has  a  nimbus  or  glory.  This  figures  the  Holy  Ghost, 
as  the  Jews  made  the  eagle  a  symbol  of  the  spirit.  When  the  Baptist 
and  Evangelist  are  introduced  in  the  same  picture,  as  frequently 
occurs,  the  latter  may  be  known  from  his  more  youthful  look  as  well 
as  by  the  above  attributes.  When  associated  with  the  other  Apostles, 
he  is  distinguished  by  his  youth  and  flowing  hair,  or  by  his  nearness 
to  the  Saviour,  and  frequently  by  some  token  of  peculiar  love  in  the 
position  or  aspect  of  the  Master.  On  great  occasions,  at  the  church  of 
the  Santa  Croce,  at  Rome,  a  cup  is  exhibited  as  that  from  which  John, 

11 


162  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

by  command  of  Domitiau,  drank  poison  without  injury.  December 
27,  A.  D.  09. 

St.  John  Capistrano  was  a  Franciscan  friar,  who  after  the 
capture  of  Constantinople  b}^  the  Turks,  was  sent  out  to  preach  a 
crusade  for  the  defence  of  Christendom.  At  the  siege  of  Belgrade,  in 
1456,  when  Mohammed  was  repulsed  by  the  Hungarians,  this  saint 
was  seen,  with  his  crucifix  in  hand,  in  the  midst  of  the  battle  encour- 
aging and  leading  on  the  soldiers.  He  died  the  same  year,  and  in 
1090  he  was  canonized.  His  attribute  is  the  crucifix,  or  the  standard 
with  the  cross.  A  colossal  statue  of  him  is  on  the  exterior  of  the 
cathedral  at  Vienna.  He  has  a  Turk  under  his  feet,  while  he  bears 
in  one  hand  a  standard,  and  in  the  other  a  cross.  October  23, 
A.  D.  145G. 

St.  John  Chrysostom  {Lat.  S.  Johannes  Chrysostom  ;  Ital.  San 
Giovanni  Crisostomo,  San  Giovanni  Bocca  d'  Oro ;  Fr.  St.  Jean  Chry- 
sostome).  This  saint  is  always  called  by  his  Greek  appellative,  which 
signifies,  "of  the  golden  mouth."  He  was  born  at  Antioch  in  344. 
He  was  of  an  illustrious  family.  His  father  died  while  he  was  still 
young,  and  his  mother,  Arthusia,  remained  a  widow  that  she  might 
devote  herself  entirely  to  her  son.  At  twenty  he  had  won  renown 
by  the  eloquence  of  his  pleas,  for  he  was  an  advocate,  but  he  greatly 
desired  to  retire  from  the  world  as  a  hermit.  The  entreaties  of  his 
mother  prevented  this  until  he  was  about  twenty-eight,  when  in  spite 
of  all  he  fled  to  the  wilderness  near,  and  led  a  life  of  such  rigor  as  to 
destroy  his  health  and  oblige  him  to  return  to  Antioch.  Soon  after 
this,  Flavian  ordained  him  a  priest;  and  tradition  declares  that  at 
the  moment  of  his  ordination  a  white  dove  descended  on  his  head. 
This  signified  his  especial  inspiration  from  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  truly 
thereafter,  he  seems,  as  a  Christian  orator,  to  have  been  assisted  of 
God.  Only  Paul  is  ranked  above  him.  He  saved  the  people  of  his 
native  city  by  his  eloquence,  when  they  had  so  offended  the  Emperor 
Theodosius  that  he  had  threatened  them  with  dreadful  punishment. 
So  much  was  he  V)eloved  at  Antioch,  that  when  chosen  Patriarch  of 
Constantinoyne  he  had  to  go  away  secretly  before  the  peoj)le  could 
interfere  to  retain  him.  At  Constantinople  he  lived  a  life  of  humble 
self-denial,  b\it  entertained  the  stranger  and  the  j)<)or  witli  kind 
hospitality.  His  enthusiasm,  his  ])()otic  imagination,  his  elegant 
scholarship,  added  to  his  great  earnestness,  caused  him  to  speak  as 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  163 

one  inspired  ;  and  he  preached  so  fearlessly  against  the  irregular- 
ities of  the  Empress  Eudoxia,  of  the  monks,  and  all  the  customs 
of  the  court,  that  he  was  banished  from  the  city.  The  people 
obliged  the  emperor  to  recall  him ;  but  again  he  was  inexorable  in 
his  denunciations,  and  again  was  sent  into  exile.  His  guards  treated 
him  so  cruelly  that  he  perished  from  exposure  and  fatigue.  He 
was  sixty-three  years  old,  and  had  been  bishop  ten  years.  It  was 
thirty  years  after  his  death  when  his  remains  were  removed  to 
Constantinople,  and  the  Emperor  Theodosius,  advancing  as  far  as 
Chalcedon  to  meet  them,  fell  prostrate  on  the  coffin  and  implored 
the  forgiveness  of  the  saint  in  the  names  of  Arcadius  and  Eudoxia, 
his  guilty  parents.  St.  John  Chrysostom  died  September  14,  a.  u. 
407.  The  Greeks  keep  his  festival  November  13,  and  the  Latin 
Church,  January  27. 

St.  John  Gualberto  (Ital.  San  Giovanni  Gualberto  ;  Fr.  St. 
Jean  Gualbert,  or  Calbert)  was  born  at  Florence.  His  family  was 
rich  and  noble,  and  he  received  an  education  befitting  his  rank.  He 
had  but  one  brother,  Hugo,  whom  he  passionately  loved.  While  John 
was  still  young,  Hugo  was  slain  by  a  gentleman  with  whom  he  had  a 
quarrel.  John,  with  the  consent  and  encouragement  of  his  parents, 
determined  to  pursue  the  murderer  to  the  death.  It  happened  that 
on  Good  Friday,  at  evening,  as  John  left  Florence  for  his  father's 
country-house,  he  took  the  road  which  leads  to  the  church  of  San 
Miniato-del-Monte.  In  ascending  the  hill  he  met  his  brother's  assas- 
sin, and  drew  his  sword  to  kill  him,  feeling  that  a  just  God  liad  thus 
delivered  his  enemy  into  his  hand.  The  wretched  man  fell  on  his 
knees,  imploring  mercy.  He  extended  his  hand  in  the  form  of  a  cross, 
and  reminded  John  that  Jesus  had  died  on  the  cross  praying  for 
pardon  for  his  murderers.  John  felt  himself  moved  by  a  great  strug- 
gle ;  and  the  conflict  between  his  desire  for  revenge  and  his  wish  to 
act  as  a  Christian  was  so  great  that  he  trembled  from  head  to  foot. 
But  at  length,  praying  to  God  for  strength,  he  lifted  his  enemy;  and 
embracing  him,  they  parted.  John,  overpowered  with  emotion,  had 
scarcely  strength  to  enter  the  church,  where  he  knelt  before  the 
crucifix  at  the  altar.  Here  he  wept  bitterly,  and  all  the  horror  of 
the  crime  he  had  been  about  to  commit  was  vividly  impressed  on  his 
mind.  He  prayed  for  pardon ;  and  as  he  raised  his  eyes  to  the  face 
of  Jesus,  he  beheld  the  holy  head  bowed  in  sign  of  forgiveness.     This 


164  LEGES DS  AND   STORIES 

miracle  completed  the  great  change  already  begun  in  liim,  and  he 
determined  to  leave  tlje  world.  He  took  the  Benedictine  habit,  and 
entered  the  monastery  of  San  Miniato.  When  the  abbot  died,  John 
was  elected  to  succeed  him  ;  but  he  would  not  accept  the  office,  and 
leaving  the  convent,  retired  to  the  Yallombrosa,  in  the  Apennines, 
about  twenty  miles  from  San  Miniato.  At  first  he  had  but  two  com- 
panions in  his  retreat,  but  the  fame  of  his  sanctity  attracted  numbers 
to  him ;  and  thus  originated  the  Order  of  Vallombrosa,  of  which  this 
saint  was  the  founder.  They  adopted  the  Rule  of  St.  Benedict,  but 
revived  some  of  the  severities  which  had  fallen  into  disuse,  and  insti- 
tuted others,  especially  that  of  silence.  The  pope  confirmed  this  new 
order,  and  before  the  death  of  the  saint  twelve  houses  were  filled 
with  his  followers,  in  different  places.  The  Church  of  the  Trinita  at 
Florence  belonged  to  them,  and  in  it  is  preserved  the  miraculous 
crucifix  before  which  John  knelt  on  that  memorable  Good  Friday 
night.  The  ruins  of  the  monastery  of  Salvi,  near  Florence,  which 
■was  of  the  Vallombrosa,  show  by  their  extent  what  its  importance 
must  have  been.  John  was  most  strict  in  his  humility  and  simpli- 
city, and  was  so  shocked  at  the  way  in  which  his  disciples  at  !Moscetta 
embellished  their  convent  that  he  prophesied  some  fearful  punishment 
for  them.  Shortly  after,  an  inundation  destroyed  a  large  part  of  their 
buildings.  He  was  also  distinguished  for  his  determined  opposition  to 
the  practice  of  simony,  by  which  many  ecclesiastics  dishonored  the 
Church  in  his  time.  Pietro  di  Pavia  had  purchased  the  archbishopric 
of  Florence.  He  was  a  man  of  notoriously  bad  character.  John 
denounced  him  publicly.  Pietro  sent  soldiers  to  burn  and  pillage 
San  Salvi,  and  several  monks  were  murdered.  Still  Gualberto  would 
not  be  silent ;  and  it  is  probable  that  his  order  would  have  been 
destroyed  by  the  powerful  wickedness  of  Pietro,  had  not  one  of  the 
monks,  called  Peter  Igncus,  demanded  the  ordeal  by  fire.  He  stood 
the  test  triumphantly,  and  the  archbishop  was  deposed.  Several  mir- 
acles, like  that  of  multiplying  the  food  when  the  monks  were  in  want, 
are  attributed  to  this  saint.  The  Vallombrosians  had  fine  libraries 
and  many  works  of  art,  before  they  were  despoiled.  These  pictures 
are  now  scattered  in  galleries.  Cimabue  painted  his  famous  Madonna 
for  them,  and  Andreii  del  Sarto  his  Cenacolo.  (Hiall>erto  meeting  the 
murderer  is  represented  in  a  little  tal)ernacle  which  has  been  erected 
on  the  spot  where  the  encounter  took  place.     July  12,  a.  d.  1073. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  165 

St.  John  de  Matha  {Sp.  San  Juan  de  Mata)  was  a  native  of 
Faucon,  in  Provence.  He  was  born  in  1154,  and  his  parents  were  of 
noble  family.  Like  so  many  saints,  he  was  consecrated  to  God  by 
his  mother,  whose  name  was  Martha.  He  was  a  student  in  the  Uni- 
versity at  Paris,  and  after  becoming  famous  for  his  piety  was  ordained 
a  priest.  The  first  time  he  celebrated  the  mass  he  had  a  vision  of  an 
angel,  whose  hands  crossed  over  each  other  rested  on  the  heads  of 
two  slaves  who  knelt  on  each  side  of  him.  On  the  breast  of  the 
white  robe  which  tlie  angel  wore,  was  a  cross  of  red  and  blue.  Felix 
de  Valois,  another  holy  man,  was  a  friend  of  the  saint ;  and  when 
John  had  told  him  the  vision,  and  that  he  regarded  it  as  an  inti- 
mation from  heaven  that  he  was  to  labor  for  the  relief  of  prisoners 
and  captives,  the  two  determined  to  found  a  new  order  having  this 
labor  for  its  object.  It  was  called  "The  Order  of  the  Holy  Trinity 
for  the  Redemption  of  Captives."  John  and  Felix  went  to  Rome  for 
the  confirmation  of  their  w'ork,  and  were  most  kindly  received ;  for 
the  pope  had  also  had  a  vision  of  an  angel  with  two  captives  chained, 
one  of  whom  was  a  Moor,  the  other  a  Christian,  which  taught  that 
all  races  and  religions  were  to  be  benefited  by  this  new  brotherhood. 
The  parent  institution  of  the  order  w^as  that  of  Cerfroy,  but  they 
were  called  Mathurins,  and  had  a  monastery  in  Paris  near  the  street 
still  called  by  their  name.  At  Rome  they  were  given  the  church  and 
convent  on  Monte  Celio,  so  beautifully  situated,  and  from  the  ancient 
barque  in  front  of  it  called  Santa  Maria  della  Xavicella.  Having 
obtained  followers  and  money,  John  sent  his  disciples,  and  went  him- 
self to  various  places  in  Africa  and  Spain,  and  exchanged  and  ransomed 
prisoners  and  brought  them  home.  This  was  a  most  noble  work  ;  for 
no  class  of  Christians  so  needed  assistance  as  those  who  had  been 
made  prisoners  and  then  slaves  during  the  fierce  wars  of  those  times. 
He  had  delivered  hundreds,  when,  being  about  to  sail  with  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  slaves,  the  infidels  became  furious  and  tore  up  his 
sails  and  broke  his  rudder.  But  he  used  his  mantle  and  those  of  his 
disciples  as  sails,  and  praying  God  to  be  his  pilot,  the  ship  was  quietly 
wafted  to  Ostia.  But  the  health  of  the  saint  was  so  feeble  that  he 
was  not  able  to  go  even  to  Paris,  and  after  two  years  of  suffering  he 
died  at  Rome.     February  8,  a.  d.  1213. 

St.  John  Nepomuck  {Ital.  San  Giovanni  Nepomuceno ;   Ger. 
Heil.  Johannes  von  Nepomuk ;  Sp.  San  Juan  Nepomuceno).      This 


166  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

saint  was  the  confessor  of  the  good  and  beautiful  princess  Joan  of 
Bavaria,  who  was  unfortunately  married  to  the  cruel  Wenceslaus  IV. 
of  Germany.  John  knew  there  was  no  earthly  recompense  for  such 
woes  as  his  empress  endured,  and  he  earnestly  endeavored  to  so  lead 
her  religiously  that  she  might  suffer  with  patience  the  hardness  of 
her  life.  At  length  Wenceslaus  commanded  him  to  reveal  the  con- 
fession of  the  empress.  This  the  saint  refused  to  do,  and  imprison- 
ment and  torture  failed  to  break  his  silence.  At  length  the  empress 
by  prayers  and  tears  obtained  his  release.  She  dressed  his  wounds 
and  nursed  him  with  her  own  hands.  Then  he  returned  to  court  and 
preached  as  usual ;  but,  knowing  the  uncertainty  of  his  life,  he  first 
chose  the  text,  "  Yet  a  little  while  and  ye  shall  not  see  me."  He 
endeavored  to  prepare  himself  and  all  who  heard  him  for  death.  Not 
long  after,  as  he  approached  the  palace,  the  emperor  saw  him  from 
the  window,  and  being  seized  with  one  of  his  tempers,  he  ordered  him 
to  be  brought  before  him.  Again  he  demanded  the  confession  of  the 
empress.  The  saint  kept  perfect  silence.  Then  the  emperor  com- 
manded the  guards  to  throw  him  over  the  parapet  of  the  bridge  into 
the  Moldau.  Tiic  legend  relates  that,  as  he  sank,  five  stars  hovered 
over  tlie  spot,  which,  when  the  emperor  saw  them,  so  distracted  him 
tliat  he  fled  and  hid  for  some  time  in  the  fortress  of  Carlstein.  The 
empress  greatly  mourned,  and  the  people  carried  his  body  in  proces- 
sion to  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Cross.  When  Prague  was  besieged 
in  1G20,  it  is  believed  that  St.  John  Nepomuck  fought  with  his 
people.  The  empress  did  not  long  survive  her  faithful  friend  nnd 
confessor.  He  was  a  canon  regular  of  St.  Augustine.  He  is  patron 
saint  of  bridges  and  running  water  in  Austria  and  Bohemia.  His 
statue  stands  on  the  bridge  at  Prague  on  the  very  spot  whence  he 
was  thrown  down.  Five  stars  are  his  proper  attribute.  Sometimes  he 
has  his  finger  on  his  mouth  ;  sometimes  a  padlock  on  his  mouth  or  in 
liis  hand  in  token  of  silence.  He  is  patron  of  discretion  and  silence, 
and  protoftor  against  slander.     May  10,  a.  d.  1383. 

St.  John  and  St.  Paul  were  brothers  and  Roman  officers  in  the 
service  of  Constantia.  Tlioy  were  put  to  death  by  Julian  the  Apos- 
tate. Their  church  on  the  brow  of  the  Coelian  Hill  is  on  tlie  spot 
where  their  house  stood,  which  is  one  of  the  most  lovely  in  ancient 
Home.  It  has  existed  since  490.  Tlio  church  at  Venice  which 
bears  their  name  was  built  by  colonies  from  the  convent  of  St.  John 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  167 

and  St.  Paul  at  Rome.  It  is  filled  with  most  interesting  monuments, 
but  none  exist  in  honor  of  these  saints.  In  art  they  are  always 
represented  together,  and  their  attributes  are  the  military  dress  with 
the  sword.     June  2G,  about  3G2. 

St.  Joseph  {Lat.  S.  Josephus ;  Ital.  San  Giuseppe ;  Fr.  St. 
Joseph  ;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Josef).  Joseph  was  always  honored  among 
the  saints,  but  signally  so  since  the  sixteenth  century.  The  great 
honor  which  God  conferred  upon  him  in  selecting  him  to  be  the 
guardian  of  the  Virgin  and  her  Divine  Son  is  sufficient  proof  that 
he  was  a  holy  man.  The  Scripture  account  leads  us  to  conclude  that 
he  was  gentle  and  tender  as  well  as  just.  He  was  of  the  lineage  of 
David  and  the  tribe  of  Judah,  —  a  carpenter,  and  dwelt  in  Nazareth. 
This  is  the  sum  of  the  positive  knowledge  we  have  of  him.  Legends 
are  the  source  of  all  other  opinions  concerning  him.  In  these  there 
is  great  difference  regarding  his  age.  Many  think  that  he  was  a  wid- 
ower when  he  espoused  Mary.^  In  early  art  he  was  made  very  old, 
and  some  monks  averred  that  he  was  more  than  fourscore  at  the  time 
of  his  marriage  to  Mary.  In  later  years  he  has  been  represented  of 
mature  middle-age,  strong  and  able  to  fulfil  the  duty  of  providing  for 
his  charge.  One  attribute  of  age  has  however  been  handed  down  from 
the  earliest  time,  the  crutch  or  cane,  and  is  seldom  omitted.  The 
legend  of  the  marriage  of  Mary  and  Joseph  is  given  in  the  Protevan- 
gelion  and  History  of  Joseph,  in  these  words  :  "  When  Mary  was 
fourteen  years  old,  the  priest  Zacharias  (or  Abiathar,  as  he  is  else- 
where called)  inquired  of  the  Lord  concerning  her,  what  was  right 
to  be  done ;  and  an  angel  came  to  him  and  said,  '  Go  forth  and  call 
together  all  the  widowers  among  the  people,  and  let  each  bring  his 
rod  (or  wand)  in  his  hand ;  and  he  to  whom  the  Lord  shall  sliow  a 
sign,  let  him  be  the  husband  of  Mary.'  And  Zacharias  did  as  the 
angel  commanded,  and  made  proclamation  accordingly.  And  Joseph 
the  carpenter,  a  righteous  man,  throwing  down  his  axe,  and  taking 
his  staff  in  his  hand,  ran  out  with  the  rest.  When  he  appeared  be- 
fore the  priest,  and  presented  his  rod,  lo !  a  dove  issued  out  of  it,  — 
a  dove  dazzling  white  as  snow,  and  after  settling  on  his  head,  flew 
toward  heaven.  Then  the  high-priest  said  to  him,  *Thou  art  the 
person  chosen  to  take  the  Virgin  of  the  Lord,  and  to  keep  her  for 

1  St.  Jerome  asserts  that  he  was  always  virgin. 


168  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

Him.'  And  Joseph  was  at  first  afraid,  and  drew  back,  but  afterward 
he  took  her  home  to  his  house,  and  said  to  her,  '  Behold,  I  have 
taken  thee  from  the  Temple  of  the  Lord,  and  now  I  will  leave  thee 
in  my  house,  for  I  must  go  and  follow  my  trade  of  building.  I  will 
return  to  thee,  and  meanwhile  the  Lord  be  with  thee  and  watch 
over  thee.'  So  Joseph  left  her,  and  Mary  remained  in  her  house." 
Jerome  makes  a  difference  which  artists  have  followed.  He  relates 
that  among  the  suitors  for  Mary  was  the  son  of  the  high-priest,  and 
that  they  all  deposited  their  wands  in  the  Temple  over  night.  Kext 
morning,  Joseph's  rod  had  blossomed.  The  others,  in  their  dis- 
appointment, broke  their  wands  and  trampled  on  them  ;  while  one, 
Agabus,  who  was  of  noble  race,  fled  to  Mt.  Carmel  and  became  an 
anchorite.  In  many  pictures  the  espousals  take  place  in  the  open 
air,  and  various  places  outside  the  Temple,  having  no  appearance  of 
the  sacrament  of  marriage.  This  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  among 
the  Jews  marriage  was  a  civil  contract  rather  than  a  religious  cere- 
mon}'.  Joseph's  next  appearance,  in  the  legends,  is  on  the  journey  to 
Bethlehem.  The  way,  so  long  and  weary  to  the  suffering  Virgin,  is 
described,  and  the  Protevangelion  tells  that  "  when  Joseph  looked 
back,  he  saw  the  face  of  Mary,  that  it  was  sorrowful,  as  of  one  in 
pain  ;  but  when  he  looked  back  again  she  smiled.  And  when  they 
were  come  to  Bethlehem  there  w-as  no  room  for  them  in  the  inn, 
because  of  the  great  concourse  of  people.  And  Mary  said  to  Joseph, 
'Take  me  down,  for  I  suff'er.'"  Another  legend  relates  that  Joseph 
sought  a  midwife,  but  when  he  returned  with  her  to  the  stable  Mary 
was  sitting  with  her  infant  on  her  knees,  and  the  place  was  filled 
with  a  light  far  brigliter  than  that  of  noonday.  And  the  Hebrew 
woman  in  amazement  said,  "  Can  this  be  true  1 "  And  Mary  replied, 
"It  is  true:  as  there  is  no  child  like  unto  my  son,  so  there  is  no 
*  woman  like  unto  his  mother."  Four  times  God  sent  angelic  mes- 
sengers to  guide  Joseph  in  the  execution  of  his  important  mission. 
First,  he  assured  him  of  the  purity  of  Mary,  and  tliat  he  need  fear 
notliing  in  taking  her  to  wife.  The  legends  say  tliat  after  waking 
from  this  vision,  he  "  entreated  forgiveness  of  Mary  for  having 
wronged  her  even  in  thought."  The  second  dream  commanded  him 
to  fleo  into  Egypt.  The  pictures  of  the  Flight,  and  of  the  Repose, 
which  is  an  incident  of  the  flight,  represent  the  watchful  care  of 
Joseph.     The  duration  of  the  sojourn  in  Egypt  is  differently  given, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  169 

and  ranges  from  two  to  seven  years.     The  third  vision  told  Joseph 
to  return  to  Judaea,  and  a  fourth  guided  him  on  the  journey.     After 
the  return  to  Nazareth,  Joseph  is  associated  only  with  a  quiet,  indus- 
trious life,  and  the  training  of  his  foster-son  to  the  trade  of  a  car- 
penter.    The  time  of  Joseph's  death  is  also  a  disputed  point.     Some 
assert  that  it  occurred  when  Jesus  was  eighteen  years  old,  while  some 
make  it  nine  years  later.     One  of  the  most  interesting  accounts  of 
this  event  is  found  in  an  Arabian  history  of  Joseph  the  Carpenter. 
Jesus  is  supposed  to  relate  it  to  his  disciples.     He  tells  that  Joseph 
acknowledged  him  as  the  "Redeemer  and  Messiah,"  and  speaks  thus 
of  Mary  :    "  And  my  mother,  the  Virgin,  arose,  and  she  came  nigh 
to  me  and  said,  '0  my  beloved  Son,  now  must  the  good  old  man  die ! ' 
And  I  answered,  and  said  unto  her,  '  0  my  most  dear  mother,  needs 
must  all  created  beings  die ;  and  Death  will  have  his  rights,  even  over 
thee,  beloved  mother :  but  death  to  him  and  to  thee  is  no  death,  only 
the  passage  to  eternal  life ;  and  this  body  I  have  derived  from  thee 
shall  also  undergo  death.' "      Then  after  giving  an  account  of  the 
death  scene,  he  says,  "I  and  my  mother  Mary,  we  wept  with  them," 
alluding  to  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Joseph  who  were  about  him 
weeping.     Then  follows  an  account  of  a  struggle  between  good  and 
bad  spirits  for  the  soul  of  Joseph ;  but  at  last  Gabriel  comes  to  clothe 
it  with  a  robe  of  brightness  and  bear  it  to  heaven.     On  account  of 
this  triumphant  end,  Joseph  came  to  be  invoked  as  the  patron  of 
death-beds.     His  death  is  often  represented  in  family  chapels  which 
are  consecrated  to  the  dead.     The  20th  of  July  had  been  observed 
in  the  East  with  great    solemnity  as  the  anniversary  of  Joseph's 
death  for  many  years  before  he  was  popular  in  the  West.     It  was  the 
custom  to  read  publicly  homilies  upon  his  life  and  death ;  and  many 
of  them  are  very  curious  and  ancient,  dating  from  the  fourth  century 
in  some  cases.     There  is  great  significance  in  the  different  modes  of 
representing  this  saint,  and  in  the  attributes  given  him.     He  regards 
Mary  with  veneration  mingled  with  tender  care  and  thoughtfulness. 
In  the  pictures  of  the  Nativity,  the  Adoration  of  the  Magi,  and  in 
many  Holy  Families,  he  is  in  an  attitude  of  quiet  and  contemplative 
admiration  ;  and  while  treated  with  dignity  is  never  made  an  important 
point  in  the  picture.     In  the  flight,  and  in  the  repose  in  Egypt,  he  is 
the  care-taker  and  guide,  and  the  importance  of  his  trust  is  made  ap- 
parent.    He  sometimes  holds  the  Infant,  or  bears  him  in  his  arms. 


170  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

in  token  of  his  high  office  of  providing  for  him  ;  and  at  the  same  time 
carries  a  hly,  the  emblem  of  chastity,  or  his  budded  rod,  in  token  of 
the  purity  of  the  rehition  between  himself  and  ^Mary.  Sometimes  he 
gathers  dates,  leads  the  ass  which  bears  the  Virgin  and  Child,  and 
carries  the  wallet  and  staff  of  the  pilgrim.  When  he  kneels  before 
the  Infant  and  presents  a  flower,  it  is  an  act  of  homage  on  the  part 
of  the  saint.  His  dress  should  be  a  gray  tunic  and  a  saffron-colored 
mantle.     March   19. 

St.  Jovita  or  Giovita.     See  St.  Faustinus. 

St.  Juan  de  Dios  was  the  founder  of  the  Order  of  the  Hospi- 
tallers, or  Urothers  of  Charity ;  in  fact,  he  may  be  said  to  be  the 
founder  of  the  same  class  of  institutions  in  all  countries ;  —  of 
our  own  hospitals  and  asylums  for  the  poor,  the  "  Maisons  de 
Charite  "  of  France,  the  "  Barmherzigen  Briider "  of  Germany,  the 
*' Misericordia  "  of  Italy,  and  the  "Caritad"  of  Spain.  He  was  the 
son  of  poverty,  born  in  Monte-Mayor,  Portugal,  in  1495.  He  had 
no  education,  but  was  piously  reared  by  his  mother.  "When  Juan 
was  but  nine  years  old,  he  was  so  charmed  by  the  stories  of  a  priest 
who  was  entertained  by  his  parents,  and  who  had  travelled  far  and 
wide,  that  he  went  awa}'^  with  him  without  the  knowledge  of  his 
family.  Ttie  priest  for  some  reason  left  him  utterly  alone  in  Oropesa, 
a  village  of  Castile.  He  entered  the  service  of  a  shepherd,  where  he 
remained  until  he  entered  the  army.  He  was  reckless  and  dissipated 
as  a  soldier,  and  yet  at  times  was  greatly  moved  by  recollections 
of  the  piety  of  his  mother  and  the  lessons  of  his  childhood.  He  met 
with  many  adventures,  and  narrowly  escaped  death  from  wounds  and 
accidents.  Being  set  to  guard  some  booty  taken  from  the  enemy,  he 
fell  asleep,  and  the  prize  was  carried  off.  His  commanding  officer 
ordered  him  hanged  on  the  spot ;  but  after  the  rope  was  around  his 
neck,  a  superior  officer  who  chanced  to  pass,  released  him  on  the  con- 
dition that  he  should  leave  the  camp.  He  returned  to  his  old  occu- 
pation in  Oropesa ;  but  his  restless  mind  gave  him  no  peace,  and  in 
1532  he  joined  the  troops  raised  for  the  Hungarian  war.  At  the 
end  of  the  strife,  he  returned  to  his  native  place,  making  a  pilgrimage 
to  Compostella  on  his  way.  Here  lie  was  so  seized  with  remorse, 
when  he  learned  that  his  parents  had  died  of  grief  for  his  desertion 
of  them,  that  his  reason  was  impaired.  Having  no  money,  he  became 
the  shepherd  of  a  rich  lady  near  Seville.     Hero  he  gave  much  time 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  171 

to  meditation  and  prayer,  and  determined  to  do  some  good  in  order 
to  atone  as  much  as  possible  for  his  past  sins.  He  rememi)ered  tlie 
sad  and  wretched  condition  of  the  poor,  and  of  captives  and  prisoners, 
of  whom  he  liad  seen  many  dnring  his  wanderings.  At  length  he 
determined  to  devote  himself  to  their  relief,  and  even,  if  possible,  to 
be  a  martyr.  He  went  to  Gibraltar,  and  there  saw  a  Portugnese 
noble,  who,  with  his  family,  was  exiled  to  Ceuta,  in  Africa.  He 
entered  the  service  of  these  distressed  people.  They  suffered  much 
from  sickness  and  poverty,  and  Juan  became  their  only  support.  He 
hired  himself  as  a  laborer,  and  toiled  for  them  until  they  received  aid 
from  other  sources.  Then  returning  to  Spain  he  travelled  about, 
selling  religious  books  and  pictures,  and  doing  all  in  his  power  for 
the  poor  until  he  was  told  in  a  vision,  "  Go,  thou  shalt  bear  the  cross 
in  Granada."  The  miraculous  bearer  of  this  message  was  a  radiant 
child  who  held  a  pomo-de-Granada  (pomegranate)  in  his  hand.  Juan 
came  into  Granada  at  the  time  of  the  celebration  of  St.  Sebastian's 
festival.  He  was  already  much  excited  in  mitid ;  and  the  exhorta- 
tions of  the  famous  preacher,  St.  John  of  Avila,  roused  in  him  such 
sorrow  for  his  sins  that  he  seemed  as  one  bereft  of  his  senses.  He 
was  talien  to  a  mad-house,  and,  as  the  custom  was,  scourged  every 
day  until  the  blood  flowed  freely  from  his  wounds.  The  same 
preacher  referred  to  was  filled  with  pity  for  him,  and  by  patient 
attendance  restored  him  to  reason  and  liberty.  John  obtained  a  little 
shed  for  his  home,  and  here  founded  the  first  Hospital  of  Charity ; 
for  he  began  the  practice  of  bringing  here  the  most  wretched  ones 
he  could  find,  and  of  begging  for  their  support.  At  first  he  could 
provide  for  but  two  or  three,  but  would  himself  lie  outside  on 
the  ground  for  the  sake  of  sheltering  an  additional  one.  Soon  he 
succeeded  in  obtaining  a  large  circular  building,  in  the  centre  of 
which  was  kept  a  great  fire ;  and  here  he  often  gathered  two  hundred 
homeless  wretches.  He  gave  up  the  idea  of  martyrdom,  and  devoted 
himself  with  wonderful  zeal  to  the  relief  of  the  misery  about  him. 
He  made  no  rules  for  any  order,  and  does  not  appear  to  have  con- 
templated the  establishment  of  one,  and  yet  he  "  bequeathed  to 
Christendom  one  of  the  noblest  of  all  its  religious  institutions."  In 
France  he  has  the  title  of  'Me  bienheureux  Jean  de  Dieu,  Pere  des 
Pauvres."  His  proper  attributes  are  the  pomegranate  and  cross. 
Often  he  is  painted  with  a  beggar  kneeling  before  him.    "  The  Charity 


172  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

of  San  Juan  de  Dios,"  painted  by  Murillo  for  the  Church  of  the 
"  Caritad  "  at  ^Seville,  represents  him  staggering  beneath  the  burden 
of  a  dying  beggar,  whom  he  is  bearing  through  a  storm  to  his  hospital. 
It   is  said   that  few   behold  this  picture  without  tears.      March  8, 

A.  I).     1  ")")0. 

St.  Juan  de  la  Cruz.  He  is  mentioned  by  Mr.  Stirling  as  "a 
holy  man  who  was  frequently  favored  with  interviews  with  our 
Saviour,  and  who,  on  one  of  these  occasions,  made  an  uncouth 
sketcii  of  the  Divine  apparition,  which  was  long  preserved  as  a 
relic  in  the  convent  of  the  Incarnation  at  Avila."  He  was  the  first 
barefooted  Carmelite,  and  is  famous  for  his  terrible  austerities  and 
penances.  He  was  the  ally  of  St.  Teresa  in  all  her  reforms,  and 
is  frequently  represented  with  her.  Books  with  the  titles  of  his 
writings  are  often  introduced  into  lus  pictures.  November  24, 
A.  D.    1591. 

Judas  Iscariot  {Ital.  Giuda  Scariota ;  Fr.  Judas  Iscariote). 
The  silence  of  the  Gospel  concerning  the  life  of  Judas  before  he 
became  a  disciple  is  more  than  filled  by  the  legends  of  the  Middle 
Ages.  They  relate  that  he  was  of  the  tribe  of  Keuben,  and  that  his 
mother  dreamed  before  his  birth  that  he  would  murder  his  father, 
commit  incest  with  his  mother,  and  betray  his  God  for  money.  Hor- 
rified at  this  prospect,  his  parents  determined  that  he  should  not 
live  to  fulfil  such  prophecies ;  so  they  put  him  in  a  chest  and  threw 
it  into  the  sea,  but  the  chest  was  washed  on  shore,  and  the  child  taken 
by  a  certain  king  and  reared  as  his  son.  This  king  had  a  son  whom 
Judas  hated  from  the  natural  ugliness  of  his  disposition.  At  length 
he  killed  him  in  a  quarrel,  and  fled  to  Juda-a  and  was  employed 
as  a  page  by  Pontius  Pilate,  who  was  attracted  by  tlie  comeliness 
of  his  person.  In  course  of  time,  he  fulfils  the  dreadful  prophecies 
regarding  his  parents,  and  at  length  learns  from  his  mother  the 
secret  of  his  birth.  He  is  filled  with  horror  of  himself,  and  having 
heard  of  the  power  of  Christ  to  forgive  sins,  he  seeks  to  become  his 
follower.  Jesus  receives  him,  knowing  all.  Judas  now  adds  avarice 
to  his  other  vices,  and  becomes  so  completely  corru})t  as  to  fit 
liim  for  the  awful  destiny  foreshadowed  for  him.  The  bribery, 
betrayal,  r(q)entance,  and  death  follow  according  to  the  Scri])ture 
account.  His  repentance  is  in  some  cases  most  vividly  portrayed. 
Eemorse  is  made  a  real  person,  "who  seizes  and  torments  him  until 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  173 

he  invokes  Despair,  who  brings  to  him  all  kinds  of  implements  of 
death  and  bids  him  choose  from  them.  He  is  represented,  too,  with 
an  imp  upon  his  shoulder,  figuring  the  Satan  that  entered  into  him. 
The  Mohammedans  believe  that  Christ  ascended  alive  into  heaven, 
and  that  Judas  was  crucified  in  his  likeness.  But  his  death  has  been 
variously  represented  in  art.  Those  who  have  painted  him  as  hang- 
ing with  his  bowels  gushing  out  have  seemingly  made  a  mistake. 
The  more  reasonable  version  is,  that  having  hanged  himself  he  fell, 
and  from  the  fall  he  "  burst  asunder."  One  tradition  is  that  he  was 
found  hanging,  and  thrown  over  the  parapet  of  the  Temple  and  dashed 
in  pieces.  Expression  has  been  given  to  the  wildest  imaginations 
concerning  him.  An  old  miniature  makes  demons  toss  his  soul  from 
hand  to  hand  like  a  ball.  The  horror  of  this  restlessness  is  a  fearful 
thought.  The  "bursting  asunder"  was  considered  a  special  judg- 
ment, in  order  that  his  soul  should  escape  from  his  bowels,  and  not 
be  breathed  out  through  the  lips  that  had  betrayed  Christ.  The 
idea  is  represented  by  a  demon  taking  the  soul,  in  the  usual  form  of 
a  little  child,  from  the  bowels.  The  ugliness  of  person  and  expression 
given  to  Judas  in  pictures  appeals  to  our  feeling,  although  not  in 
harmony  with  the  legend  ;  and  it  does  not  seem  that  such  a  man  would 
have  been  allowed  in  the  company  of  the  twelve.  The  proper  color 
for  him  is  a  dirty  yellow.  At  Venice  the  Jews  w^ere  formerly  com- 
pelled to  wear  hats  of  this  Judas  color,  while  in  Spain  and  Italy 
niialefactors  and  galley  slaves  are  clothed  in  it. 

St.  Jude.     See  St.  Simon. 

Judith  and  Holofernes.  In  the  seventeenth  year  of  the  reign 
of  Nabuchodonosor,  King  of  Nineveh,  he  went  out  to  battle  with  King 
Arphaxad  of  Ecbatane ;  and  he  sent  to  all  the  people  round  that  they 
should  join  his  army  and  help  him  to  conquer  the  Modes.  But  the 
people  scorned  the  commands  of  Nabuchodonosor,  and  did  not  join  his 
army.  Then  was  he  wroth,  and  he  swore  to  destroy  those  nations 
which  would  not  acknowledge  him  for  the  king  of  the  whole  earth. 
So  he  sent  Holofernes,  who  was  the  chief  captain  of  the  army  of  the 
Assyrians,  and  gave  him  commands  to  go  forth  and  destroy  the  cities 
and  exterminate  the  people  who  had  scorned  his  authority.  Holo- 
fernes did  so  ;  and  when  he  came  to  the  city  of  Bethulia,  he  sat 
down  before  it  to  besiege  it.  He  was  advised  not  to  attack  the  city, 
which  was  so  high  up  in  the  mountains  as  to  be  almost  impregnable, 


174  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

but  to  seize  the  fountain  outside  the  city  and  thus  cut  off  their  water, 
80  that  the  people  of  Bethulia  would  fall  dead  in  their  own  streets 
from  thirst.  Holofernes  received  this  advice,  and  seized  the  fountain. 
Now,  when  all  the  water  in  the  city  was  gone,  the  women  and  children 
began  to  drop  with  faintness,  and  the  men  were  ready  to  perish  ;  then 
came  they  to  Ozias,  the  chief  of  the  city,  and  they  said,  "  It  is  better 
that  we  deliver  us  up  to  the  Assyrians  than  that  we  die  thus;"  and 
Ozias  reasoned  with  them  that  God  would  deliver  them,  but  they 
would  not  hearken.  Then  Ozias  said,  "  Let  us  wait  five  days ;  and  if 
God  does  not  send  rain  to  fill  our  cisterns,  neither  deliver  us  in  any 
other  way,  then  we  will  deliver  us  up  to  the  enemy."  Now  there 
was  in  Bethulia  a  widow,  Judith,  and  she  was  exceeding  beautiful 
and  very  pious.  She  had  been  a  widow  three  years  and  four  months, 
and  she  had  "  fasted  all  the  days  of  her  widowhood,  save  the  eves  of 
the  Sabbaths  and  the  eves  of  the  new  moons,  and  the  feasts  and  the 
solemn  days  of  the  house  of  Israel."  She  was,  moreover,  very  rich 
in  lands  and  servants,  cattle  and  money,  and  beautiful  apparel  and 
jewels.  Now  she  was  thought  very  wise,  and  her  opinion  greatly 
esteemed.  She  did  not  approve  of  the  decision  of  the  people,  and  told 
Ozias  and  the  other  chief  men  that  they  had  done  wrong ;  that  God 
was  not  a  man  that  his  counsels  should  be  limited  or  a  time  set  for 
him  to  deliver  them ;  and  she  said  she  would  go  forth  out  of  the  city 
with  her  waiting-woman,  and  that  before  the  time  they  had  promised 
to  deliver  up  the  city  should  come,  God  would  give  their  enemies  into 
her  hand.  So  she  went,  and  prayed  God  to  be  with  her,  to  allow  her 
to  sway  the  heart  of  Holofernes  by  the  pleasant  words  she  would  speak 
and  by  the  sight  of  her  beauty.  Then  she  put  off  her  widow's  gar- 
ments, and  she  dressed  herself  in  the  apparel  which  she  wore  in  the 
days  of  Manasses  her  husband  ;  she  plaited  her  hair,  and  put  a  tire 
upon  it,  **  and  she  took  sandals  upon  her  feet,  and  put  about  her  her 
bracelets  and  her  chains  and  her  rings  and  all  her  ornaments,  and 
decked  herself  bravely,  to  allure  the  eyes  of  all  men  that  should  see 
her."  And  when  she  had  taken  wine  and  figs  and  bread  and  parched 
corn,  she  put  them  in  a  bag  and  gave  to  her  waiting-woman,  and 
they  proceeded  to  the  gate  of  the  city ;  and  Ozias  and  all  who  saw 
her  wondered  at  her  great  and  dazzling  beauty.  So  went  she  forth ; 
and  when  she  was  come  to  the  camp  of  Holofernes,  those  who  saw  her 
admired  her  greatly,  and  they  took  her  to  their  captain  with  great 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  1T5 

honor.  Now,  when  Holofernes  saw  her,  from  that  moment  he  desired 
to  have  her ;  but  he  questioned  her  of  herself,  and  why  she  had  thus 
come.  Then  she  told  him  that  her  people  were  wicked  in  that  they 
did  not  submit  to  his  command,  and  that  to  this  sin  they  were  about 
to  add  that  of  drinking  the  wine  which  had  been  kept  for  the  use  of 
the  Temple,  and  that  she,  foreseeing  the  destruction  which  must  come 
for  all  this  sin,  had  sought  his  presence.  She  added  that  she  would 
remain  with  him,  going  out  every  night  into  the  valley  to  pray ;  and 
that  when  the  wicked  designs  of  her  people  were  accomplished  she 
would  tell  him,  and  then  he  could  go  forth  with  his  array  and  con- 
quer them  without  difficulty.  So  she  remained,  and  Holofernes 
offered  her  food  ;  but  she  said,  "  I  will  not  eat  thereof,  lest  there  be 
an  offence ;  but  provision  shall  be  made  for  me  of  the  things  that  I 
have  brought."  And  when  he  said,  "  If  thy  provision  should  fail  ] " 
she  answered,  ''As  thy  soul  liveth,  my  lord,  thine  handmaid  shall 
not  spend  those  things  that  I  have,  before  the  Lord  work  by  mine 
hand  the  things  that  he  hath  determined."  So  he  gave  her  a  tent ; 
and  she  and  her  waiting-woman  dwelt  there,  going  out  every  night 
into  the  valley.  Now  on  the  fourth  day  Holofernes  made  a  feast  for 
his  own  servants,  and  called  none  of  his  officers  to  it.  And  he  sent 
Vagao,  the  eunuch  who  had  charge  of  all  that  he  had,  to  invite  Judith 
to  this  feast;  and  she  arose  and  decked  herself  and  went.  "Now, 
when  Judith  came  in  and  sat  down,  Holofernes  his  heart  was  ravished 
with  her,  and  his  mind  was  moved,  and  he  desired  greatly  her  com- 
pany; for  he  waited  a  time  to  deceive  her,  from  the  day  that  he  had 
seen  her."  Then  Holofernes  urged  her  to  eat  and  drink,  which  she 
did,  such  things  as  her  maid  prepared  for  her ;  and  she  said,  "  I  will 
drink  now,  my  lord,  because  my  life  is  magnified  in  me  this  day, 
more  than  all  the  days  since  I  was  born."  Holofernes  took  great 
delight  in  her,  and  drank  much  more  wine  than  he  had  ever  drank 
at  any  time  before  in  one  day.  At  last,  when  evening  was  come  the 
servants  retired,  and  Vagao  shut  the  tent,  and  Judith  was  alone  with 
Holofernes,  and  he  was  drunk  with  the  wine.  Then  Judith,  praying 
to  God  to  assist  her,  took  down  his  sword  which  was  at  his  head, 
and  she  took  hold  of  the  hair  of  his  head  and  said,  "  Strengthen  me, 
0  Lord  God  of  Israel,  this  day."  And  she  smote  him  twice  upon  his 
neck,  and  took  away  his  head.  Then  she  pulled  down  the  canopy, 
and  went  forth  and  gave  the  head  to  her  maid,  who  put  it  in  her 


176  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

meat-bag,  and  they  went  forth  into  the  valley,  as  was  their  custom. 
But  now  they  kept  on  till  they  came  to  Bethulia ;  and  Judith  called 
to  the  watchman  when  they  were  still  afar  otf.  And  when  her  voice 
was  heard,  all  the  city  hastened  to  hear  what  news  she  might  bring. 
And  she  commanded  them  to  praise  God,  and  showed  them  the  head 
of  Ilolofcrnes  and  the  silken  canopy.  Then  Judith  gave  an  order 
that  they  should  hang  the  head  on  the  highest  i»art  of  the  wall,  and 
when  the  morning  should  come  every  man  should  take  his  weapon 
and  go  forth  as  if  to  battle ;  then  the  Assyrians  would  go  to  the  tent 
of  Holofernes,  and  fear  should  fall  upon  them,  and  they  would  flee 
before  the  men  of  Bethulia.  And  it  was  all  as  she  said.  Now,  when 
Vagao  knocked  at  the  door  of  the  tent,  he  had  no  answer,  — he  went 
not  in,  for  he  thought  that  Holofernes  had  slept  with  Judith,  —  but 
when  he  could  hear  no  one  he  entered,  and  found  the  body  from  which 
the  head  had  been  cut  away.  Then  was  the  Assyrian  camp  filled  with 
dismay,  and  they  fled  into  every  way  of  the  plain  and  of  the  hill  coun- 
tr3\  And  the  children  of  Israel  fell  upon  them,  and  smote  them,  and 
chased  them  beyond  Damascus.  And  the  tent  of  Holofernes  with  all 
its  rich  appointments  was  given  to  Judith ;  and  the  men  of  Bethulia 
spoiled  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians.  Then  Judith  sang  a  song  of  tri- 
umph ;  and  she  went  to  Jerusalem,  and  gave  the  tent  and  all  its 
belongin^xs  to  the  sanctuary,  and  they  feasted  there  for  three  months. 
And  Judith  lived  to  be  one  hundred  and  five  years  old;  but  she 
would  not  marry,  though  many  desired  her.  And  the  people  of 
Israel  esteemed  her  according  to  her  worth  ;  and  when  she  died  they 
of  Bethulia  mourned  her  seven  days,  and  buried  her  by  the  side  of 
her  husband,  Manasses. 

St.  Julia  (/>.  Ste.  Julie ;  Ital.  Santa  Giulia)  was  a  noble  virgin, 
who  is  often  represented  with  the  Brescian  saints.  She  was  martyred 
at  Corsica,  and  her  relics  carried  to  Brescia,  where  a  church  and  con- 
vent were  dedicated  to  her.  She  is  painted  young,  lovely,  and  richly 
attired.     She  died  in  tlie  fifth  century.     May  22. 

Julian  the  Apostate.  Julian,  Flavins  Claudius,  Emperor  of 
Rome,  nephew  of  Constantino  the  Great.  Famous  for  his  attempt 
to  re-establish  paganism.  Born  at  Constantinople  in  331,  died  of  a 
wound  received  in  battle  near  Ctesiphon,  when  fighting  against  Sapor, 
King  of  Persia,  being  thirty-two  years  old.  Wiien  young,  he  was  kept 
in  obscurity  by  his  cousin  Constantius,  from  jealousy.     He  was  first 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  177 

taught  by  Christian  bishops,  and  was  then  a  pupil  of  the  school  at 
Atheus,  and  intimately  associated  with  men  distinguished  for  wonder- 
ful piety  and  learning.  His  defenders  plead  that  he  revolted  from 
the  Church  on  account  of  its  intolerance  of  philosophy.  But  if  he 
hated  intolerance,  how  must  he  have  hated  himself;  for  he  persecuted 
those  he  called  persecutors,  and  became  a  fanatic  in  his  opposition  to 
religion.     For  the  legend  of  his  death,  see  St.  Mercurius. 

St.  Julian  Hospitator  [Ital.  San  Giuliano  Ospitale ;  Fr.  St.  Ju- 
lien  I'Hospitalier)  was  a  count,  and  lived  in  great  state.  He  hunted 
and  feasted  continually.  One  day,  as  he  pursued  a  deer  it  turned  on 
him  and  said,  "  Thou  who  pursuest  me  to  the  death  shalt  cause  the 
death  of  thy  father  and  thy  mother ! "  He  stopped  affrighted,  and 
resolved  to  flee  from  his  parents  in  order  not  to  fulfil  the  prophecy. 
So  he  went  into  a  far  country.  The  king  of  this  country  received 
him  kindly,  and  gave  him  a  rich  and  lovely  widow  for  his  wife,  with 
whom  he  lived  so  happily  as  to  forget  his  home  and  the  prophecy. 
But  his  ftither  and  mother  had  put  on  the  attire  of  pilgrims,  and  set 
out  to  find  their  son.  Now,  while  Julian  was  absent  at  court,  they 
arrived  at  his  house,  and  Basilissa,  his  wife,  showed  them  every  kind- 
ness, and  put  them  in  her  own  bed  to  sleep.  The  next  morning, 
while  she  was  gone  to  church  to  thank  God  for  having  brought  them 
to  her,  Julian  returned.  He  entered  his  chamber,  and  in  the  dim 
light  saw  two  people  in  bed,  and  one  of  them  a  bearded  man.  Seized 
with  furious  jealousy,  he  drew  his  sword  and  slew  them  both.  Rush- 
ing out,  he  met  his  wife.  Astonished,  he  asked  who  was  in  his  bed, 
and  hearing  the  truth  was  as  one  dead.  He  then  wept  bitterly,  and 
exclaimed,  *'Alas!  by  what  evil  fortune  is  this,  that  what  I  sought 
to  avoid  has  come  to  pass  1  Farewell,  my  sweet  sister  !  I  can  never 
again  lie  by  thy  side,  until  I  have  been  pardoned  by  Christ  Jesus  for 
this  great  sin!"  But  she  replied,  "Nay,  my  brother,  can  I  allow 
thee  to  depart,  and  without  me  ?  Thy  grief  is  my  grief,  and  whither 
thou  goest  I  will  go."  So  they  travelled  till  they  came  to  a  stream 
swollen  by  mountain  torrents,  in  which  many  who  tried  to  cross  were 
drowned.  Here  Julian  built  a  cell  for  himself  and  a  hospital  for  the 
poor ;  and  he  constantly  ferried  the  travellers  over  the  river  without 
reward.  At  length,  one  stormy  night  in  winter,  when  it  seemed  that 
no  boat  could  cross  the  stream,  he  heard  a  sad  cry  from  the  opposite 
bank.     He  went  over,  and  found  a  youth  who  was  a  leper  dying  from 

12 


178  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

cold  and  weariness.  In  spite  of  his  disease  he  carried  hira  over  and 
bore  him  in  his  arms  to  his  own  bed,  and  he  and  BusiUssa  tended  hira 
till  morning,  when  the  leper  rose  np,  and  his  face  was  transformed 
into  that  of  an  angel,  and  he  said,  "Julian,  the  Lord  hath  sent  me  to 
thee ;  for  thy  penitence  is  accepted,  and  thy  rest  is  near  at  hand." 
And  he  vanished  from  sight.  Then  Julian  and  his  wife  fell  down,  and 
praised  God  for  his  mercies  ;  and  soon  they  died,  for  they  were  old,  and 
full  of  good  works.  He  is  patron  saint  of  ferr^'men  and  boatmen,  of 
travellers  and  of  wandering  minstrels.  His  dress  should  be  that  of  a 
hermit ;  his  attribute  a  stag,  which  may  be  distinguished  from  that 
of  St.  Hubert  by  the  absence  of  the  crucifix  between  the  horns. 
January  9,  a.  d.  313. 

St.  Julian  of  Rimini  was  of  Cilicia ;  and  but  little  is  known  of 
him  l)eyund  the  fact  tiiat  he  endured  a  prolonged  martyrdom  with 
unfailing  courage.  Of  this  St.  Chrysostom  writes.  He  is  represented 
as  young  and  graceful,  but  melancholy.  He  is  richly  dressed,  and 
caiTies  the  palm,  the  standard  of  victorj'',  and  the  sword.     March  16. 

Julian.  There  are  twelve  saints  of  this  name  ;  but  the  two  given 
above  are  the  most  important,  and  most  frequently  represented  in  art. 

St.  Justa,  or  Justina,  and  St.  Rufina,  patronesses  of  Seville. 
These  were  the  daughters  of  a  potter  of  Seville.  They  sold  earthen- 
ware, and  gave  away  all  they  made  after  supplying  their  bare  neces- 
sities. Some  women  went  to  buy  of  them  vessels  to  be  used  in  the 
worship  of  Venus.  The  saints  answered  that  they  would  sell  nothing 
for  that  purpose ;  whereupon  the  women  broke  all  tlieir  ware,  and 
the  populace  seized  them  and  bore  them  to  the  prefect.  But  first, 
the  saints  destroyed  the  image  of  Venus.  The}"  were  condemned  to 
the  torture.  Justa  died  on  the  rack,  and  Rufina  was  strangled.  The 
Giralda  is  their  especial  care,  and  it  was  believed  tiiat  this  beautiful 
tower  was  preserved  by  them  in  the  terrible  thunder-storm  of  1504. 
They  are  sometimes  painted  as  muchachas  (or  of  the  humbler  class), 
and  sometimes  beautifully  attired.  They  always  bear  palms  and 
alcarrazaif,  or  earthen  pots.     July   19,  a.  d.   304. 

St.  Justina  of  Antioch.  See  St.  Cyprian.  September  26, 
A.D.   301. 

St.  Justina  of  Padua  {Lat.  Sancta  Justina  Patavina  Urbis  Pro- 
tectrix  ;  Ital.  Santa  Giustina  di  Padova  ;  Fr.  Ste.  Justine  de  Pa- 
doue)  was  a  daughter  of  King  Vitalicino,  who  was  a  Christian,  and 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  179 

brought  up  his  child  in  the  same  faith.  After  the  death  of  her  father 
she  was  accused  before  the  Emperor  Maximian,  who  ordered  her  death 
by  the  sword.  She  opened  her  arms,  was  pierced  through  the  bosom, 
and  died.  She  is  patroness  of  Padua  and  Venice  ;  and  in  the  former 
city  there  is  a  sumptuous  church  in  her  honor,  which  was  founded  in 
453,  and  rebuilt  in  the  sixteenth  century.  Her  proper  attribute  is 
the  sword  transfixing  her  bosom.  Sometimes  the  unicorn,  which  be- 
longs to  Justina  of  Antioch,  is  also  given  to  this  saint,  which  causes 
confusion  between  the  two.  The  unicorn  attending  a  female  is  also 
the  emblem  of  chastity;  when  it  accompanies  Justina  of  Padua,  the 
Venetian  costume,  or  Venice  itself,  or  else  St.  Mark  in  the  distance, 
will  usually  decide  ;  but  when  the  female  is  alone  or  with  a  company 
of  martyrs  and  the  unicorn,  it  is  Justina  of  Antioch.  October  7, 
A.  D.   303. 

St.  Lambert  of  Maestricht  {Ital.  San  Lamberto ;  Fr.  and 
G€7\  Lambert,  Lanbert,  or  Landbert).  This  name  signifies,  "  illustri- 
ous with  landed  possessions."  He  was  Bishop  of  Maestricht,  but  was 
exiled  and  recalled  in  677.  It  is  said  that  when  an  acolyte  he  car- 
ried burning  coals  in  the  folds  of  his  surplice  to  kindle  the  incense ; 
this  typifies  his  fervor.  The  cause  of  his  death  is  given  in  two  ways. 
One  account  is  that  two  brothers  who  had  robbed  the  church  of 
Maestricht  were  slain  without  the  knowledge  of  the  bishop,  and 
their  kinsmen  in  revenge  entered  the  house  of  Lambert,  and  mur- 
dered all  within.  He  was  killed  w4th  a  dart  or  javelin.  The  other 
story  is  that,  having  boldly  reproved  Pepin  d'Heristal  for  his  love  of 
his  mistress,  the  beautiful  Alpaide,  the  grandmother  of  Charlemagne, 
one  of  her  relatives  entered  his  dwelling  and  slew  him.  His  attributes 
are  the  palm  and  javelin      September  17,  a.  d.  709. 

Lamech.  There  is  a  Jewish  tradition  that  after  Lamech  became 
blind,  he  was  hunting  in  a  forest  where  Cain  had  concealed  himself, 
and  mistaking  the  vagabond  for  a  wild  beast,  he  slew  him  with  an 
arrow,  and  afterwards  killed  his  son,  Tubal-Cain,  who  had  pointed 
out  to  him  the  thicket  in  which  Cain  had  been.  This  is  said  to 
explain  Gen.  iv.  23,  "  For  I  have  slain  a  man  to  my  wounding, 
and  a  young  man  to  my  hurt."  This  legend  has  been  illustrated 
in  an  engraving  by  Lucas  von  Leyden,  and  in  sculpture  in  the 
cathedrals  at  Amiens  and  Modena  as  well  as  in  the  Campo  Santo  at 
Pisa. 


180  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

Last   Supper  (Ital.  II  Cenacolo,   LaCena;  Fr.  La  C^ne  ;  Ger. 
Das  Abeiuliiiai]!  Christi).     This  subject  occupies  a  most   important 
place  in  art  when  iUustratiug  the  history  of  Christ  as  the  Redeemer. 
It  has  been  treated  in  two  distinct  modes,  —  first,  as  a  mystery,  the 
institution  of  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist ;  again  as  illustrative 
of  the  detection  and  exposure  of  Judas.     Keeping  this   distinction 
in    mind   will    help  to  explain   the    differences    in  trea,tmeiit  of  the 
various  artists,  and  will  influence    the  judgment   in  deciding  points 
connected  with  them  ;  as  what  seems  irreverent  and  out  of  place  in 
a  religious   and   devotional   picture   is  quite  admissible  in  one  that 
is  barely  historical. 

St.  Laurence  {Lat.  S.  Laurcntius;  Fr.  St.  Laurent;  Ifal.  and 
Sp.  San  Lorenzo  ;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Laurentius,  or  Lorenz).  Histori- 
cally, but  little  is  known  of  this  saint.  Even  the  time  and  place  of 
his  birth  are  matters  of  doubt ;  but  that  he  existed,  and  was  martyred 
according  to  the  general  belief,  is  undoubtedly  true.  His  legend  re- 
lates that  he  was  a  Spaniard,  and  a  native  of  Osca,  or  Huesca,  in 
Aragon,  where  his  parents  are  honored  as  SS.  Orientius  and  Patienza. 
He  went  to  Rome  when  quite  young,  and  by  his  exemplary  life  so 
pleased  Sixtus  IL,  then  Bishop  of  Rome,  that  he  made  him  his  arch- 
deacon, and  gave  the  treasures  of  the  Church  into  his  care.  When  Six- 
tus was  condemned  to  death  as  a  Christian,  St.  Laurence  clung  to  him, 
and  desired  to  accompany  him,  saying,  among  other  things,  "  St.  Peter 
suffered  Stephen,  his  deacon,  to  die  before  him  ;  wilt  thou  not  also 
suffer  me  to  prepare  thy  way?"  Sixtus  assured  him  that  in  three 
days  he  would  follow  him,  and  that  his  sufferings  would  be  far  the 
greatest,  because,  being  younger  and  stronger,  he  could  longer  endure. 
He  also  commanded  Laurence  to  distribute  the  property  of  the  Church 
to  the  poor,  so  that  the  tyrant  should  never  possess  it.  So  Laurence 
took  the  treasures,  and  sought  through  all  Rome  for  the  poor ;  and  he 
came  at  night  to  the  Ccclian  Hill,  where  dwelt  Cyriaca,  who  was  a 
devout  widow,  who  often  concealed  the  persecuted  Christians  and 
cared  for  them.  She  was  sick,  and  St.  Laurence  healed  her  by  laying 
his  hands  on  her,  and  also  washed  the  feet  of  the  Christians  in  the 
house,  and  gave  them  alms.  Thus  from  house  to  house  he  dispensed 
his  charities,  and  prepared  for  his  hastening  martyrdom.  The  tyrant, 
learning  that  the  treasures  were  in  his  hands,  ordered  him  to  be 
brought  to  the  tribunal.     He  was  required  to  tell  where  the  treasures 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  181 

were;  but  this  demand  he  refused,  and  was  put  into  a  dungeon  under 
the  care  of  Hippolytus,  whom  he  converted  to  Christianity  with  his 
whole  family,  so  that  they  were  baptized.  Being  questioned  again  by 
the  prefect  concerning  the  treasures,  he  promised  that  in  three  days 
he  would  show  them.  The  time  arriving,  he  gathered  the  poor  ones 
to  whom  he  had  given  aid  together,  and  showed  them  to  the  tyrant, 
saying,  "  Behold,  here  are  the  treasures  of  Christ's  Church  ! "  The 
prefect  then  ordered  him  to  be  tortured  until  he  should  tell  what  he 
wished  to  know.  But  no  horrors  could  subdue  the  saint ;  and  the 
prefect  ordered  him  to  be  carried  by  night  to  the  baths  of  Olympias, 
which  were  near  the  villa  of  Sallust,  and  a  new  torment  inflicted  on 
him,  which  was  that  he  should  be  stretched  on  an  iron  bed  made  of 
bars  like  a  gridiron,  and  roasted  over  a  fire  kindled  beneath.  This 
was  done;  and  all  who  saw  were  filled  with  horror  of  the  tyrant 
who  could  conceive  such  cruelty,  and  condemn  so  gentle  and  comely 
a  youth  to  such  suffering.  But  Laurence  was  still  unsubdued,  and 
cried  out,  "Assatus  sum;  jam  versa  et  manduca"  ("1  am  done  or 
roasted  ;  now  turn  me  and  eat  me ").  And  all  were  confounded  by 
his  endurance.  Then  he  looked  to  heaven,  and  said,  "  I  thank  thee, 
0  my  God  and  Saviour,  that  I  have  been  found  worthy  to  enter  into 
thy  beatitude  !  "  and  so  he  died.  The  prefect  and  executioners  went 
away,  and  Hippolytus  took  the  body  and  buried  it  in  the  Via  Tibur- 
tina.  For  this  the  tyrant  commanded  him  to  be  tied  to  the  tail  of  a 
wild  horse,  and  so  he  was  martyred.  Soon  after,  this  prefect,  as  he  sat 
in  the  amphitheatre,  was  seized  with  pangs  of  death,  and  cried  out  to 
St.  Laurence  and  Hippolytus,  as  he  gave  up  the  ghost.  In  Rome  six 
churches  have  been  dedicated  to  St.  Laurence;  in  Spain,  the  Escurial; 
in  Genoa,  a  cathedral  ;  and  in  England,  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  churches,  besides  many  others  in  all  Christendom.  St.  Laurence 
is  connected  with  the  death  of  the  Emperor  Henry  IL  by  the  follow- 
ing legend.  One  night,  as  a  hermit  sat  in  his  hut  he  heard  a  sound 
as  of  a  host  rushing  past.  He  opened  his  window,  and  called  out  to 
know  who  they  could  be.  The  answer  came,  "We  are  demons. 
Henry  the  Emperor  is  about  to  die  at  this  moment,  and  we  go  to 
seize  his  soul."  The  hermit  then  begged  that  on  their  return  they 
should  tell  him  the  result  of  their  errand.  This  they  promised,  and 
after  a  time  that  same  night  they  came  again  and  knocked  at  the 
window.     When  the  hermit  questioned  of  their  success,  the  fiends 


182  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

swore  that  all  had  gone  ill ;  for  they  arrived  just  as  the  emperor  ex- 
pired, and  were  about  to  seize  his  soul  when  his  good  angel  came  to 
save  him.  After  a  long  dispute  the  Angel  of  Judgment  (St.  Michael) 
laid  his  good  and  evil  deeds  in  the  scale,  and  the  latter  descended 
and  touched  the  earth,  and  the  victory  was  to  the  demons,  when,  lo  ! 
the  roasted  fellow  (for  so  he  wickedly  called  the  saint)  appeared,  and 
threw  into  the  other  scale  the  holy  cup,  which  changed  the  balance 
and  defeated  the  fiends.  But  the  demon  had  avenged  himself  by 
breaking  the  handle  off  the  cup,  and  this  he  gave  the  hermit.  In 
the  morning  the  hermit  hastened  to  the  city  and  found  Henry  dead, 
and  one  handle  gone  from  the  cup  he  had  given  the  Church,  and  this 
had  disappeared  in  the  night.  St.  Laurence  is  usually  painted  in  the 
rich  dress  of  an  archdeacon,  bearing  the  palm  and  la  graticola,  or  grid- 
iron. But  sometimes  he  carries  a  dish  full  of  money,  and  the  cross, 
to  signify  his  office  of  treasurer  to  the  Church,  and  also  of  deacon,  for 
deacons  bore  the  cross  in  processions.  The  gridiron  varies  in  form 
and  size.  Sometimes  it  is  embroidered  on  his  robe,  suspended  round 
his  neck,  or  borne  in  his  hand  ;  and  again  he  puts  his  foot  on  it  in 
triumph.  Patron  of  Nuremberg,  the  Escurial,  and  Genoa.  August 
10,  A.  D.  258. 

St.  Lazarus  {Lat  and  Ger.  same  as  Eng. ;  Fr.  St.  Lazare ;  Ital. 
San  Lazarro ;  Sp.  San  Lazaro,  Lazarillo :  signification,  "God  will 
help").  This  saint  is  venerated  as  the  first  bishop  of  ^Marseilles. 
When  seen  in  any  pictures  other  than  those  of  his  resun-ection, 
he  wears,  in  common  with  many  other  saints,  the  bishop's  dress ;  but 
as  he  is  most  frequently  associated  with  Mary  and  Martha,  he  is  not 
easily  mistaken.  In  rare  instances  a  bier  is  seen  in  the  background. 
September  2. 

St.  Leander.     Febn^ary  27,  a.  d.  596.     See  St.  Isidore. 

St.  Leocadia  was  a  native  of  Toledo.  She  was  thrown  into 
prison  during  the  persecution  of  Diocletian.  "While  there  she  was 
told  of  the  death  of  St.  Eulnlia,  who  was  her  friend,  and  she  ear- 
nestly prayed  that  death  might  reunite  them.  Her  i)rayer  was  soon 
answered,  and  she  died  in  prison.  Another  legend  relates  that  she 
was  thrown  down  from  a  height  of  rocks,  and  a  chapel  was  built  on 
the  spot  where  she  fell,  and  in  it  she  was  buried.  "When  St.  Ilde- 
fonso  had  written  his  treatise  defending  the  doctrine  of  the  porpctnal 
virginity  of  the  Motlicr  of  God,  angels  rolled  the  stune  from  the  tomb 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  183 

of  St.  Leocadia,  and  she  went  to  St.  Ildefonso  to  tell  him  of  the  ap- 
probation of  his  work  in  heaven.  Before  she  could  disappear  he  cut 
a  piece  from  the  mantilla  which  she  wore,  and  this  relic  was  pre- 
served as  one  of  the  Church  treasures.  She  is  patroness  of  Toledo, 
and  her  statue  surmounts  the  gate  (Puerta  del  Cambron).  She  is 
seen  only  in  Spanish  pictures.     December  9,  a.  d.  304. 

St.  Leonard  {Lat.  S.  Leonardus ;  Ital.  San  Leonardo ;  Fr. 
St.  Leonard,  or  Lionart  :  signification,  "  brave  as  a  lion ")  was  a 
courtier  of  the  court  of  King  Theodobert,  and  was  much  beloved  by 
the  king  for  his  cheerfulness  and  amiability.  He  was  a  Christian, 
and  especially  delighted  in  visiting  and  relieving  prisoners  and  cap- 
tives ;  and  oftentimes  the  king  pardoned  those  for  whom  he  pleaded. 
At  length,  weary  of  the  court,  he  retired  to  a  desert  near  Limoges, 
and  became  a  hermit.  One  day,  as  the  king  and  queen,  with  all  the 
court,  rode  to  the  chase,  the  queen  was  seized  with  the  pains  of  child- 
bearing,  and  seemed  likely  to  die.  The  spot  where  they  were  was 
near  the  house  of  Leonard  ;  and  he,  hearing  of  this  distress,  came  and 
prayed  for  the  queen,  and  she  was  soon  safely  delivered.  Then  the 
king  gave  St.  Leonard  a  portion  of  the  forest,  and  he  founded  a  re- 
ligious community,  but  he  would  never  accept  any  office  above  that 
of  deacon.  His  dress  is  that  of  a  Benedictine  or  of  a  deacon,  and  his 
attribute  a  chain.  Sometimes  he  bears  a  crosier  as  founder  of  a  com- 
munity, and  often  slaves  or  captives  are  near  him.  November  6, 
A.  D.  559. 

St.  Leopold  of  Austria  {Ger.  Der  Heilige  Leopold,  Luitpold, 
or  Leupold  :  signification,  "  bold  for  the  people  ").  Leopold,  Margrave 
of  Austria,  was  born  in  1080.  At  twenty-six  he  married  Agnes, 
widow  of  Frederic,  Duke  of  Suabia.  She  bore  him  eighteen  chil- 
dren, and  eleven  of  them  were  living  at  his  death.  He  founded  the 
splendid  monastery  of  Kloster-Neuberg,  on  the  Danube.  The  legend 
relates  that  soon  after  his  marriage  he  stood  with  Agnes  on  the  bal- 
cony of  his  palace  of  Leopoldsberg.  They  regarded  the  extensive  view 
before  them,  with  Vienna  near  by ;  and  hand  in  hand,  they  vowed  to 
build  and  endow  an  edifice  for  the  service  of  God  in  gratitude  to  Him 
who  had  blest  their  love.  Just  at  that  moment  the  wind  lifted,  and 
bore  away  the  bridal  veil  of  Agnes.  Eight  years  from  this  time, 
when  hunting  in  a  forest  near  by,  Leopold  found  this  veil  on  a 
tree.      He   remembered   his   vow,    ordered   the   forest   cleared,    and 


184  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

built  the  monastery  of  Kloster-Neuberg.  A  flourishing  town  was 
built  around  it,  and  some  of  the  finest  vineyards  in  Austria  were 
here.  The  whole  life  of  Leopold  was  that  of  a  virtuous  and  just 
man.  He  is  one  of  the  patron  saints  of  Austria,  and  is  represented 
in  armor.  Sometimes  he  has  a  rosary  in  his  hand.  November  15, 
A.  D.   113G. 

St.  Lieven,  or  Livin,  was  a  poet  and  a  Benedictine  missionary. 
He  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  educated  in  the  schools  of  that  country, 
famous  in  those  days  for  their  superiority.  While  pursuing  his  la- 
bors near  Ghent,  he  was  cruelly  martyred.  His  tongue  was  pulled 
out,  and  then  his  head  cut  off.  The  mother  of  St.  Brice  had  been 
his  hostess,  and  both  she  and  her  son  were  killed  with  St.  Lieven. 
He  had  written  a  hymn  in  honor  of  St.  Bavon,  within  whose  church 
at  Ghent  he  was  buried ;  and  there  his  relics  still  repose.  He  is 
sometimes  painted  holding  his  tongue  with  tongs.  Eubens  painted 
this  martyrdom  with  terrible  truthfulness.    November  12,  a.  d.  G56. 

St.  Lioba.  This  saint  was  the  most  distinguished  companion 
of  St.  Walburga.  She  was  a  poet,  and  very  learned  for  the  time  in 
which  she  lived.  Charlemagne  and  his  Empress  Hildcgarde  were 
very  fond  of  Lioba,  and  would  gladly  have  kept  her  with  them  as  a 
companion  and  counsellor,  but  she  preferred  her  convent  life.  She 
was  buried  at  Fulda  by  the  side  of  St.  Boniface.  September  28, 
A.D.   779. 

St.  Longinus  {Ital.  San  Longino ;  Fr.  St.  Longin,  Sainct 
Lougis).  This  saint  is  known  as  being  the  "  first  fruits  of  the  Gen- 
tiles." He  is  said  to  be  the  centurion  who  pierced  the  Saviour's 
side.  The  legend  relates  that  soon  after  this  act  he  touched  his 
eyes  with  his  blood-stained  hands,  and  instantly  the  weakness  of 
sight  or  Vilindness  from  which  he  had  long  suffered  was  cured. 
^.  He  then  sought  the  Apostles,  and  was  baptized.  After  this  he 
preached  in  Ca^sarea,  and  converted  numbera ;  and  being  com- 
manded to  sacrifice  to  the  pagan  deities,  he  refused.  Longinus  was 
desirous  of  the  martyr's  crown,  and  assured  the  governor,  who  was 
blind,  that  after  his  own  death  the  governor's  sight  should  be  re- 
stored. Upon  this  ho  was  beheaded,  and  immediately  the  governor 
was  healed,  and  became  a  Christian.  This  legend  is  repudiated 
by  the  Church,  but  the  knowledge  of  it  explains  the  importance 
given   to  tlie  centurion   in  many  works  of  art.      His  dress  is  that 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  185 

of  a  Eoman  soldier,  and  his  attribute  a  spear  or  lance.  He  has 
been  patron  saint  of  Mantua  since  the  eleventh  century,  when  his 
rehcs  were  said  to  have  been  brought  to  that  city.  His  statue  is 
under  the  dome  of  St.  Peter's  in  Rome,  because  tradition  says  that 
his  lance  or  spear  is  still  among  the  treasures  of  the  Church. 
March   1 5,  a.  d.  45. 

St.  Lorenzo  Giustiniani  was  a  Venetian  of  noble  family.  He 
was  born  in  1380,  and  from  his  youth  was  enthusiastic  in  his  piety. 
Quirina,  his  mother,  though  young  and  beautiful,  remained  a  widow 
that  she  might  devote  herself  to  her  son.  At  nineteen  he  believed 
that  he  was  called  to  a  religious  life  by  a  miraculous  vision.  His 
family  desired  him  to  marry,  but  he  retired  to  the  cloister  of  San 
Giorgio-in-Alga.  He  came  to  his  mother's  palace  to  beg,  "  per  i 
poveri  di  Dio."  She  filled  his  wallet,  and  hid  herself  in  her  cham- 
ber. He  became  so  distinguished  for  his  piety  that  he  was  made 
Bishop  of  Castello.  When  the  patriarchate  of  Grade  was  removed 
to  Venice,  Lorenzo  was  the  first  to  fill  the  office.  The  people  so 
revered  him  that  they  believed  his  prayers  had  saved  them  from 
war,  famine,  and  plague  ;  and  his  memory  received  general  and  en- 
thusiastic homage  long  before  he  was  canonized  by  Alexander  VIII. 
September  5,  a.  d.  1455. 

St.  Louis  Beltran,  or  Bertrand  {IfaLSan  Ludovico  Bertrando), 
was  born  at  Valencia.  He  became  a  celebrated  Dominican,  and  was 
a  missionary.  He  lived  in  the  sixteenth  century.  He  was  a  friend 
of  St.  Teresa.  Feeling  called  to  preach  to  the  heathen,  he  went  to 
Peru ;  but  he  declared  that  he  encountered  greater  trials  from  the 
wickedness  of  the  Christians  than  from  the  ignorance  of  the  hea- 
then. He  has  no  especial  attribute  ;  but  Peruvians  or  Peruvian 
scenery  often  determines  his  personality.  Espinosa  placed  himself 
and  his  family  under  the  care  of  this  saint  during  the  plague  in 
Valencia  in  1647;  and  in  consideration  of  their  protection  from 
harm  he  painted  a  series  of  pictures,  and  placed  them  in  the  chapel 
of  the  saint  in  the  convent  of  San  Domingo  at  Valencia.  October  9, 
A.  D.  1581. 

St.  Louis  Gonzaga,  or  St.  Aloysius,  was  born  in  1568.  He 
was  the  oldest  son  of  the  Marchese  di  Castiglione.  He  entered  the 
Society  of  Jesus  when  not  yet  eighteen  years  old.  He  became  emi- 
nently distinguished  for  his  learning,  piety,  and  good  works,  and  died 


186  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

at  Rome  in  1591  of  fever,  which  he  contracted  while  nursing  the  sick. 
He  has  no  particiUar  attribute,  but  his  youth  distinguishes  him  from 
most  saints  of  his  order,      a.  d.  1501. 

St.  Louis,  King  of  France  (Lat.  S.  Ludovicus  Rex ;  Ital. 
San  Luigi,  Re  di  Francia).  Son  of  Louis  VIII.  and  Blanche 
of  Castile.  Boni  in  1215  at  Poissy.  The  holiness  of  Louis,  his 
talents  and  virtues,  combined  to  make  him  respected  and  beloved 
by  all ;  and  even  Voltaire  said  of  him,  "  II  n'est  guere  donne  a 
I'homme  de  pousser  la  vertu  plus  loin  ! "  The  Franciscans  claim 
that  lie  put  on  their  habit  before  embarking  on  his  first  crusade, 
and  that  in  it  he  died.  He  was  a  great  collector  of  relics,  for  which 
he  had  an  extreme  veneration.  Baldwin  IL  secured  his  aid  by  sur- 
rendering to  him  the  crown  of  thorns ;  and  when  it  was  brought  from 
Constantinople  Louis  carried  it  from  Sens  to  Paris,  barelieaded  and 
barefooted.  Having  also  a  piece  of  the  "  True  Cross,"  he  built  the 
beautiful  chapel.  La  Sainte  Chapelle,  in  honor  of  these  precious  relics. 
In  1247,  being  very  sick,  he  lay  in  a  trance  for  hours.  When  he 
awoke  he  exclaimed,  *'La  Lumiere  de  I'Orient  s'est  repandue  du  haut 
du  ciel  sur  moi  par  la  grace  du  Seigneur,  et  m'a  rappele  d'entre  les 
morts  ! "  He  then  called  the  Archbisliop  of  Paris,  and  in  spite  of  all 
remonstrance  from  his  priests  and  friends  he  commanded  the  cross  of 
the  crusade  to  be  affixed  to  his  dress.  The  archbishop  obeyed  with 
tears  and  sobs.  As  soon  as  his  health  allowed,  he  sailed  for  Egypt. 
His  wife  and  brothers  went  also  ;  and  his  arm}-  of  fifty  thousand  men 
embraced  the  flower  of  the  French  nobility.  After  many  disasters, 
Louis  was  made  prisoner.  But  his  zeal  never  cooled,  and  he  re- 
garded all  his  soldiers  who  perished  as  martyrs  of  a  noble  type. 
When  ransomed,  he  spent  tliree  years  in  Palestine,  and  returned 
to  France,  wliere  he  remained  sixteen  years.  He  was  a  wise  ruler, 
and  repaired  his  losses  and  enlarged  his  kingdom.  At  the  end  of 
this  time  he  set  out  on  a  second  crusade.  Those  whom  he  left  as 
children  when  he  went  at  first,  now  made  his  army.  After  more 
trials  by  disease  and  suffering,  he  died  in  his  tent,  lying  upon  ashes, 
and  wearing  the  dress  of  a  penitent.  A  portion  of  his  relics  were 
taken  to  Palermo,  and  placed  in  the  church  of  Monreale.  The  re- 
mainder were  laid  in  St.  Denis,  but  did  not  escape  the  destroyers  in 
the  first  revolution.  His  proper  attributes  are  the  crown  of  thorns, 
his  kingly  crown  and  sword.     August  25,  a.  d.  1270. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  187 

St.  Louis  of  Toulouse  {Ital.  San  Ludovico  Vescovo)  was  the 
nephew  of  the  kist-named  saint,  son  of  the  King  of  Naples  and 
Sicily.  Like  his  kingly  uncle-saint,  he  was  piously  reared  by  his 
mother.  When  he  was  but  fourteen,  his  father,  being  made  prisoner 
by  the  King  of  Aragon,  gave  Louis  and  his  brothers  as  hostages.  He 
became  wearied  of  everything  but  religion,  and  in  1294,  when  he  was 
made  free,  he  gave  all  his  royal  rights  to  his  brother  Robert,  and 
became  a  monk  of  the  Order  of  St.  Francis.  He  was  then  twenty- 
two  years  old.  Soon  he  was  made  Bishop  of  Toulouse ;  and  he  set 
out,  barefooted  and  clothed  as  a  friar,  to  take  his  new  office.  He 
went  into  Provence  on  a  charitable  mission,  and  died  at  the  castle  of 
Brignolles,  where  he  was  born.  He  was  first  buried  at  Marseilles, 
then  removed  to  Valencia,  where  he  was  enshrined.  His  pictures 
represent  him  as  young,  beardless,  and  of  gentle  face.  He  has  the 
fleur-de-lys  embroidered  on  his  cope  or  on  some  part  of  his  dress. 
The  crown  which  he  gave  away  lies  at  his  feet,  while  he  bears  the 
mitre  of  a  bishop.     August  19,  a.  d.  1297. 

Soeur  Louise  de  la  Misericorde,  who  was  first  the  lovely 
Louise  de  la  Valliere,  was  never  canonized  as  a  saint,  except  in  the 
hearts  of  those  to  w^iom  her  sorrow  and  suffering,  her  repentance 
and  charities,  have  made  her  martyr  and  saint.  She  became  a  Car- 
melite nun  at  thirty  years  of  age,  in  1674.  She  commanded  Le  Brun 
to  paint  "  Mary  Magdalene  Renouncing  the  World,"  as  an  altar-piece 
for  her  convent.  It  has  been  thought  a  portrait  of  her ;  but  many 
believe  that  another  Magdalene  by  the  same  artist,  which  is  in 
Munich,  is  probably  the  best  likeness  of  La  Valliere. 

St.  Lucia  {Eiig.  St.  Lucy,  or  Luce;  Fr.  St.  Luce,  or  Lucie). 
W^hen  Diocletian  was  emperor  and  Pascasius  was  governor  of  Sicily, 
this  saint  dwelt  in  Syracuse.  She  was  a  nol^le  and  virtuous  maiden. 
Her  mother  was  named  Eutychia.  Lucia,  without  the  knowledge  of 
her  mother,  had  made  the  vow  of  chastity ;  but  her  friends  had  her 
betrothed  to  a  rich  young  man  who  was  not  a  Christian.  Eutychia 
being  ill,  her  daughter  persuaded  her  to  visit  Catania  to  pay  her  devo- 
tions at  the  shrine  of  St.  Agatha.  While  Lucia  knelt  beside  the  tomb 
she  had  a  vision  of  the  saint,  who  addressed  her  thus,  "  0  my  sister 
handmaid  of  Christ,"  and  assured  her  that  her  mother  was  healed, 
and  that,  as  Catania  had  been  blessed  by  Agatha,  so  Lucia  should 
obtain  the  favor  of  Heaven  for  Syracuse.    Now,  when  her  mother  was 


188  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

healed,  Lncia  persuaded  her  to  allow  that  she  should  remain  single, 
and  wished  her  dowry  to  give  to  the  poor.  Her  mother  feared  lest 
she  hhojild  he  a  beggar  before  she  died,  and  hoped  to  die  soon  if  Lucia 
thus  distributed  Ijer  wealth.  But  the  daughter  so  entreated  and 
argued  that  at  length  Eutychia  consented  willingly.  Then  Lucia 
gave  to  the  poor:»all  she  had.  This  so  enraged  the  young  pagan  to 
whom  she  was  betrothed  that  he  accused  her  to  Pascasius  as  a 
Christian.  She  was  taken  to  this  cruel  governor,  who  ordered  her  to 
sacrifice  to  the  gods ;  and  when  she  would  not,  he  condemned  her  to 
be  taken  to  a  vile  place  and  treated  with  indignity.  She  assured  him 
that  he  could  not  make  her  sin,  although  he  could  control  her  body  j 
for  tliat  was  not  sin  to  which  the  mind  did  not  consent.  Then  the 
tyrant  in  fury  commanded  her  to  be  taken  away ;  but  when  they  tried 
they  could  not  move  -her.  Then  they  fastened  ropes  to  her,  and 
pulled  her,  but  still  she  remained  fixed.  All  the  magicians  and 
sorcerers  were  brought,  but  their  spells  had  no  power  on  her.  Then 
they  kindled  a  great  fire  about  her;  but  she  prayed  that  these 
heathens  might  be  confounded,  and  the  fire  did  not  harm  her.  At 
this  Pascasius  was  so  enraged  that  a  servant,  in  order  to  please  him, 
murdered  her  by  piercing  her  throat  with  a  poniard.  Her  body  was 
buried  by  the  Christians  on  the  very  spot  where  she  died ;  and  not 
long  after  a  church  was  erected  there,  and  dedicated  in  her  name. 
This  legend,  which  is  one  of  the  most  ancient,  does  not  speak  of  the 
loss  of  her  eyes,  but  more  modern  ones  relate  the  following  additional 
story.  There  dwelt  in  Syracuse  a  youth,  who  having  seen  her  but 
once  was  so  enamoured  of  her  that  he  took  every  means  to  woo  her, 
and  constantly  protested  that  it  was  her  wonderfully  beautiful  eyes 
which  so  haunted  him  and  possessed  his  soul  that  he  could  not  rest. 
Whereupon  Lucia,  considering  the  Scripture  saying,  "  If  thine  eyo 
offend  thee,  pluck  it  out,"  took  out  her  eyes  and  sent  them  to  the 
young  man  on  a  dish,  with  this  message,  "Here  hast  thou  what  thou 
hast  so  much  desired  ;  and  for  the  rest,  I  beseech  thee,  leave  me  now 
in  ])oa('e."  Tlic  young  man  was  so  affected  by  this  that  he  became*  a 
convert  to  Christianity  and  an  example  of  virtue  and  cliastity.  But 
Lucia  did  not  remain  blind  ;  for  as  she  was  one  day  praying,  her  eyes 
were  restored  and  were  more  beautiful  than  at  first.  The  legend 
advises  those  who  doubt  this  to  consult  the  writings  of  various  learned 
men,  where  they  will  find  these  facts  related.     There  is  another  legend 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  189 

which  makes  the  loss  of  her  eyes  a  part  of  her  martj^rdom,  but  there 
is  httle  authority  for  this.  Her  attributes  are  a  hght,  which  is  the 
signification  of  her  name  ;  her  eyes  on  a  dish,  with  or  without  an  awl 
by  which  they  were  bored  out ;  and  a  poniard  as  the  instrument  of 
her  death.  Sometimes  light  proceeds  from  wounds  in  her  neck,  and 
again  she  is  being  pulled  by  men  and  oxen,  with  no  effect.  In  her 
apotheosis  an  angel  carries  her  eyes  to  heaven,  while  others  bear  the 
saint.  Patroness  of  Syracuse  ;  protectress  against  all  diseases  of  the 
eye  ;  patroness  of  the  laboring  poor.     December  13,  a.  d.  303. 

St.  Ludmilla  was  the  grandmother  of  St.  Wenceslaus,  or  Wenzel, 
who  is  venerated  in  the  north  of  Germany.  Ludmilla  was  converted 
by  the  preaching  of  St.  Adelbert,  and  she  educated  her  grandson  in 
the  Christian  faith.  His  brother  Boleslaus  w^as  a  pagan,  and  instructed 
by  his  mother,  Drahomira.  Bohemia  at  length  became  divided  between 
Christians  and  pagans ;  and  Boleslaus  and  his  mother  determined  to 
kill  Ludmilla,  who  protected  the  Christians.  They  hired  assassins 
who  strangled  her  with  her  veil  when  she  was  praying  in  her  oratory. 
Wenceslaus  was  then  persuaded  to  visit  his  mother,  and  was  slain  by 
his  brother  when  he  too  was  in  the  act  of  paying  his  devotions  at  the 
altar.  Ludmilla  was  the  first  martyr  saint  of  Bohemia.  September 
16,  A.  D.  927. 

St.  Luke  {Lat.  S.  Luca ;  Ital.  San  Luca ;  Fr.  St.  Luc).  We  are 
told  but  little  of  St.  Luke  in  the  Gospel.  It  would  seem  that  he  was 
not  converted  until  after  the  Ascension  of  our  Lord.  He  was  a 
disciple  of  Paul,  and  was  with  him  until  his  death.  Some  say  he  was 
crucified  at  Patras,  and  others  that  he  died  a  peaceful  death.  That 
he  was  a  physician  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  Paul  speaks  of 
him  as  "  Luke,  the  beloved  physician  ; "  but  the  general  belief  that 
he  was  an  artist  rests  on  Greek  traditions,  and  can  only  be  traced  to 
the  tenth  century.  A  picture  of  the  Virgin  found  in  the  Catacombs 
with  an  inscription  to  the  import  that  it  is  "  one  of  seven  painted 
by  Luca,"  is  regarded  as  a  confirmation  of  this  belief  concerning  the 
Evangelist  Luke. 

Tradition  relates  that  he  carried  always  with  him  two  portraits, 
one  of  the  Saviour  and  the  other  of  Mary.  He  made  many  con- 
verts by  displaying  these  faces,  which  inspired  those  who  saw  them 
with  devotion.  ^Moreover,  in  his  hands,  they  became  the  instruments 
of  miracles.     In  the  church  of  Santa  Maria,  in  Via  Lata  at  Rome, 


190  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

a  small  chapel  is  shown  as  tliat  in  which  Luke  wrote  his  Gospel 
and  niiiltiplied  images  of  the  Virgin,  which  it  was  his  deliglit  to  do. 
From  these  legends  he  has  been  chosen  the  patron  saint  of  artists  and 
academies  of  art.  He  is  often  represented  as  painting  the  Virgin. 
His  attributes  are  the  ox,  given  him  because  he  wrote  especially  of 
the  priesthood  of  the  Saviour,  and  the  ox  is  the  emblem  of  sacrifice ; 
the  book,  signifying  his  writings,  and  a  portrait  of  the  Virgin  placed 
in  his  hand.  Sometimes  the  ox  has  wings  ;  and  again  the  head  of  an 
ox  is  placed  on  the  figure  of  a  man  as  a  symbol  of  this  Evangelist. 
In  the  church  of  San  Domenico  and  San  Sisto  at  Rome,  there  is  a 
tablet  which  is  inscribed  thus :  "  Here  at  the  high  altar  is  preserved 
that  image  of  the  most  blessed  Maiy  which  being  delineated  by  St. 
Luke  the  Evangelist,  received  its  colors  and  form  divinely.  This  is 
that  image  with  which  St.  Gregory  the  Great  (according  to  St.  An- 
tonine),  as  a  suppliant,  purified  Rome ;  and  the  pestilence  being  dis- 
pelled, the  angel  messenger  of  peace,  from  the  summit  of  the  castle 
of  Adrian,  commanding  the  Queen  of  Heaven  to  rejoice,  restored 
health  to  tlie  city."  Another  picture  in  the  Ara  Coeli  claims  to  be 
the  one  which  was  thus  honored.  Both  of  them  are  dark  and  far 
from  beautiful ;  and  if  they  are  the  work  of  St.  Luke,  I  would  much 
prefer  the  word-picture  of  Mary  which  he  gives  in  his  Gospel  to  those 
of  his  brush.     October  18. 

St.  Lupo.     See  St.  Adelaide. 

St.  Macarius  (of  Alexandria)  was  one  of  the  most  famous  hermit 
saints  of  Egypt.  He  is  represented  in  the  great  fresco  by  Pietro 
Laurati  in  the  Campo  Santo  at  Pisa.  He  is  in  the  centre,  looking 
down  at  a  skull  which  he  touches  with  his  staff.  This  is  exj)lained  by 
the  following  legend  :  As  Macarius  was  wandering  among  the  Egyp- 
tian tombs  he  saw  a  skull  of  a  mummy.  He  turned  it  over,  and  asked 
to  whom  it  belonged.  It  answered,  *'  To  a  })iigan."  He  tlicn  said, 
"  Where  is  thy  souir*  And  the  skull  replied,  "  In  hell."  Macarius 
then  said,  "  How  deep  ?  "  "  The  (le])th  is  greater  tlian  the  distance  from 
heaven  to  eartli,"  answered  the  skull.  Tlien  Macarius  asked,  "Are 
there  any  dee])er  than  thou  art  1 "  and  the  skull  re])lied,  *'  Yes,  the  Jews 
are  deeper  still."  And  a^Min  the  hermit  said,  "Are  there  any  deeper 
than  the  JewsV'  "  Yes,  in  sooth  !  "  replied  the  skull ;  "  for  the  Chris- 
tians whom  Jesus  Ciirist  hath  redeemed,  and  who  show  in  their  actions 
that  they  desj)ise  his  doctrine,  are  deeper  still !  "     January  2,  a.  d.  31)4. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  191 

Madonna,  La,  or  Our  Lady  {Fr.  Notre  Dame ;  Ger.  Unsere 
liebe  Fran;  Eng.  The  Virgin  Mary;  Lat.  Virgo  Gloriosa,  Virgo 
Sponsa  Dei,  Virgo  Potens,  Virgo  Veneranda,  Virgo  Prtedicanda,  Virgo 
Clemens,  Virgo  Sapientissima,  Sancta  Virgo  Virginum ;  Ital.  La 
Vergine  Gloriosa,  La  Gran  Vergiue  delle  Vergini ;  Fr.  La  Grande 
Vierge  ;  Gr.  ©eoroKr)). 

Taking  the  legends  connected  with  the  life  of  Mary  in  order,  the 
first  is  the  legend  of  Joachim  and  Anna  (Ital.  La  Leggenda  di  Saiit' 
Anna  Madre  della  Gloriosa  Vergine  Maria,  e  di  San  Gioacchino). 
See  St.  Joachim. 

The  next  historical  picture  is  The  Nativity  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
(Fr.  La  jSTaissance  de  la  S.  Vierge ;  Ital.  La  Xascita  della  B.  Ver- 
gine ;  Ger.  Die  Geburt  Maria).  As  tradition  tells  that  Joachim 
and  Anna  were  "  exceedingly  rich,"  the  room  in  which  the  birth  is 
represented  is  usually  rich  in  furniture  and  decorations.  A  glory 
sometimes  surrounds  the  head  of  the  child.  Most  artists  have  also 
painted  attendants,  and  a  number  of  friends  and  neighbors  who  have 
come  to  rejoice  with  St.  Anna  that  her  prayers  are  answered  and  a 
child  born  to  her,  while  she  herself  reclines  on  her  bed  and  receives 
the  attentions  of  the  handmaidens  and  the  congratulations  of  her 
friends.     September  8. 

The  Presentation  of  the  Virgin  (Ital.  La  Presentazione,  ove  nostra 
Signora  piccioletta  Sale  i  gradi  del  Tempio ;  Ger.  Die  Vorstellung 
der  Jungfrau  im  Tempel,  Joachim  imd  Anna  weihen  ihre  Tochter 
Maria  im  Tempel).  The  legend  says :  "  And  when  the  child  was 
three  years  old,  Joachim  said  :  '  Let  us  invite  the  daughters  of 
Israel,  and  they  shall  take  each  a  taper  or  a  lamp,  and  attend  on 
her,  that  the  child  may  not  turn  back  from  the  temple  of  the  Lord.' 
And  being  come  to  the  temple,  they  placed  her  on  the  first  step,  and 
she  ascended  alone  all  the  steps  to  the  altar;  and  the  high-priest 
received  her  there,  kissed  her,  and  blessed  her,  saying,  '  Mary,  the 
Lord  hath  magnified  thy  name  to  all  generations,  and  in  thee  shall 
be  made  known  the  redemption  of  the  children  of  Israel.'  And 
being  placed  before  the  altar,  she  danced  with  her  feet,  so  that  all 
the  house  of  Israel  rejoiced  with  her,  and  loved  her.  Then  her 
parents  returned  home,  blessing  God  because  the  maiden  had  not 
turned  back  from  the  Temple."  There  are  various  pictures  of  the 
life  of  Mary  in  the  Temple.     She  is  represented  as  instructing  her 


192  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

companions,  as  spinning,  and  as  embroidering  tapestr}'.  She  is  some- 
times attended  by  angels ;  and  tradition  declares  that  her  food  was 
supplied  by  them,  and  tliat  Mary  had  the  privilege,  which  none 
other  of  her  sex  ever  had,  of  going  into  the  Holy  of  Holies  to  pray 
before  the  ark  of  the  covenant.  Presentation  of  B.  V.  November  21. 
The  Marriage  of  the  Virgin  {Ital.  II  Sposalizio ;  Fr.  Le  Ma- 
nage de  la  Vierge;  Ger.  Die  Trauung  Mariii).  When  fourteen  years 
old,  Mary  was  told  by  the  high-priest  that  it  was  proper  for  her  to 
be  married.  But  she  replied  that  her  parents  had  dedicated  her  to 
the  service  of  the  Lord.  Then  the  high-priest  told  her  of  a  vision 
he  had  had  concerning  her,  and  she  submitted  herself  to  the  Lord's 
appointment  with  sweet  humility.  The  manner  in  which  her  hus- 
band was  selected  is  told  in  the  legend  of  St.  Joseph.  In  the  rep- 
resentations the  Virgin  is  attended  by  a  train  of  maidens,  and  the 
disappointed  suitors  are  often  seen.  The  priest  joins  her  hand  to 
that  of  Joseph,  or  Joseph  is  placing  the  ring  on  her  finger.  Joseph 
frequently  carries  his  blossomed  wand,  while  the  other  suitors  break 
or  trample  on  theirs.  The  cathedral  of  Perugia  is  said  to  contain 
among  its  relics  the  nuptial  ring  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  The  return 
of  Joseph  and  Mary  to  their  house  is  also  a  subject  of  art ;  and 
Luini  represents  them  as  walking  hand  in  hand,  Joseph  regard- 
ing her  with  veneration,  and  she  looking  down,  modestly  serene. 
January  23. 

The  Annunciation  (Fr.  La  Salutation  Angelique,  L'Annonciation  ; 
Ger.  Die  Verkiindigung,  Der  englische  Gruss ;  Ital.  L'Annunciazione, 
La  B.  Vergine  Annunziata).  In  addition  to  the  Gospel  account  of 
this  event,  artists  have  been  influenced  by  legends.  One  relates 
that  as  Mary  went  forth  at  evening  to  draw  water,  she  heard  a 
voice  which  said,  "Hail,  thou  that  art  full  of  grace!"  but  she  could 
see  no  one.  Being  troubled,  she  returned  to  her  house  and  her 
work,  which  is  said  to  have  been  purple  and  fine  linen.  St.  Ber- 
nard relates  the  event  in  this  wise  :  Mary  was  studying  the  book 
of  Isaiah,  and  as  she  read  the  verse,  "  Behold,  a  Virgin  shall  con- 
ceive and  bear  a  son,"  she  thought  within  lierself,  "  How  blessed 
the  woman  of  whom  these  words  are  written !  Woulil  I  might  bo 
but  her  handmaid  to  serve  her,  and  allowed  to  kiss  her  feet!"  And 
instantly  the  angel  ajipcared  to  her,  and  in  her  the  proi)hccy  was 
fulfilled.     The    time   is  sometimes  just  at   evening,  in  reference  to 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,         '  193 

which  belief  that  hour  has  been  consecrated  as  the  "  Ave  Maria." 
But  others  beheve  it  to  have  been  midnight,  and  that  Christ  was 
born  at  the  same  hour  the  following  December.  The  place  is 
usually  within  the  house  and  rarely  by  a  fountain,  as  the  legend 
presents  it.  Sometimes  Gabriel  flies  in  from  above,  or  is  borne  by  a 
cloud.  Sometimes  he  walks,  but  is  always  young,  beautiful,  and  yet 
thoughtful  in  look.  He  has  wings,  and  in  the  early  pictures  full 
drapery.  He  either  bears  the  lily  (Fleur  de  Marie),  or  it  is  in 
some  other  part  of  the  picture.  Sometimes  he  has  the  olive,  typical 
of  peace,  or  a  sceptre  with  a  scroll  inscribed  "Ave  Maria,  gratia 
plena ! "  Very  rarely  he  has  the  palm.  The  Holy  Spirit,  as  a 
dove,  is  sometimes  poised  over  the  head  of  Mary,  sometimes  hovers 
toward  her  bosom,  or  enters  the  room  through  the  window.  A  less 
agreeable  introduction  is  that  of  the  Eternal  Father  above  the  sky, 
surrounded  by  a  glory  and  sending  forth  celestial  light.  The  spirit 
or  sentiment  of  the  picture  depends  in  a  great  measure  upon  the 
age  in  which  it  was  painted.  Before  the  fourteenth  century  Mary 
is  usually  represented  as  humble  and  submissive,  as  if  listening 
to  the  mandate  of  God,  and  that  from  the  lips  of  a  superior  being. 
But  after  that  time  the  increased  veneration  of  the  faithful  to  the 
Virgin  pictures  her  as  she  was,  —  the  superior  being ;  and  her  aspect 
befits  the  "  Regina  angelorum."  The  work-basket,  typical  of  the 
industry  of  Mary,  is  seldom  omitted ;  and  to  express  her  temperance, 
a  dish  of  fruit  and  a  pitcher  of  water  are  frequently  introduced. 
There  are  certain  mystical  or  allegorical  representations  of  the  An- 
nunciation difficult  to  be  understood.  One  represents  a  unicorn 
taking  refuge  in  the  bosom  of  the  Virgin :  an  angel  near  by  winds 
a  hunting-horn,  while  four  dogs  crouch  near  him.  Its  signification  is 
given  thus  in  an  ancient  French  work.  The  fabulous  unicorn,  who 
with  his  single  horn  was  said  to  wound  only  to  free  the  part 
wounded  from  all  disease,  is  an  emblem  of  Jesus,  the  great  physician 
of  souls.  The  four  dogs  represent  jNfercy,  Truth,  Justice,  and  Peace, 
as  the  four  considerations  which  influeuced  the  Saviour  to  undertake 
the  salvation  of  men.  The  remainder  of  the  explanation  is  so  pecu- 
liar that  no  translation  can  give  the  exact  idea.  It  is  thus :  "  Mais 
comme  c'etoit  par  la  Vierge  Marie  qu'il  avoit  voulu  descendre  parmi 
les  hommes  et  se  mettre  en  leur  puissance,  on  croyoit  ne  pouvoir 
mieux  faire  que  de  choisir  dans  la  fable,  le  fait  d'une  pucelle  pouvant 

13 


104  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

seule  servir  de  piege  a  la  licorne,  eu  I'littirant  par  le  charme  et 
le  parfuin  de  son  sein  virginal  qu'elle  lui  preseiitoit  —  enfiii  laii'T'e 
Gabriel  concouraut  au  mystere  etoit  bien  reconnoissable  sous  les 
traits  dii  veneiir  aile  laii9ant  les  levriers  et  enibouchant  la  trom- 
pctte."  Another  mode  of  representation  is  that  of  Mar}-,  standing 
with  her  hands  folded  over  her  breast  and  her  liead  bowed.  She  is 
beneath  a  splendid  portico.  Gabriel  kneels  outside  and  extends  the 
lily.  Above,  the  Padre  Eterno  appears  and  sends  forth  the  Saviour, 
who  is  in  the  form  of  the  Infant  Christ  bearing  his  cross,  who  floats 
downward  toward  the  earth,  preceded  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  form 
of  the  Dove.  These  ideal  pictures  usually,  if  not  always,  date  earlier 
than  the  seventeenth  century.     March  25. 

The  Visitation  {Fr.  La  Visitation  de  la  Vierge ;  ItaL  La  Visi- 
tazione  di  Maria ;  Ger.  Die  Heimsuchung  Mariii).  This  scene, 
which  represents  the  meeting  of  Mary  and  Elizabeth,  is  also  called 
"  The  Salutation  of  Elizabeth."  This  picture  is  not  easily  mistaken, 
however  painted  ;  sometimes  the  scene  is  in  the  garden  of  Zacha- 
rias,  where  the  legend  relates  that  Mary  often  retired  to  meditate 
upon  the  great  honor  God  had  bestowed  upon  her.  It  is  told  that 
one  day  while  in  this  garden  the  Virgin  touched  a  flower  which 
before  had  no  perfume,  but  since  that  time  its  odor  is  delicious. 
Again  tlie  two  favored  women  meet  at  the  entrance  of  the  dwelling 
of  Elizabeth.  She  is  of  course  much  older  than  Mary,  but  should 
not  be  feeble  and  wrinkled.  Her  manner  befits  one  who  recoi;- 
nizes  the  Mother  of  her  Lord,  with  glad  humility,  but  shows  also  a 
certain  dignity,  since  she  herself  is  appointed  by  God  to  an  exalted 
motherhood.  Zacharias  and  Joseph  as  well  as  servants  are  fre- 
quently introduced,  and  sometimes  the  ass  on  which  Mary  has  rid- 
den. Zacharias  is  robed  as  a  priest,  and  Joseph  as  a  traveller. 
Sometimes  Elizabeth  kneels  as  if  to  make  more  impressive  her 
words,  "And  whence  is  this  to  me,  that  the  mother  of  my  Lord 
should  come  to  meT'     July  2. 

The  Nativity  (Fv.  La  Nativitr ;  Ital.  II  Presepio,  II  Nascimonto 
del  Nostro  Signoro  ;  Ger.  Die  Geburt  Christi).  An  ancient  legend, 
relates  that  about  the  same  time  that  Csesar  Augustus  decreed  "  timt 
all  the  world  should  be  taxed,"  he  was  warned  by  a  sibyl  of  the  birth 
of  Jesus.  The  j)ictures  and  sculptures  re})resenting  this  legend  are 
not  improperly  considered  in  connection  with  those  of  the  Nativity,  to 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  195 

which  they  so  distinctly  point.  The  legend  relates  that  the  emperor 
consulted  the  sibyl  Tiburtina,  to  know  if  it  were  right  that  he  should 
accept  the  divine  honors  which  the  Senate  had  decreed  to  him.  The 
sibyl,  after  meditating  some  days,  took  the  emperor  alone,  and  showed 
him  an  altar.  Above  this  altar  the  heavens  opened,  and  he  saw  a 
beautiful  virgin  bearing  an  infant  in  her  arms,  and  he  heard  a  voice 
saying,  "  This  is  the  altar  of  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  Then  Caisar 
Augustus  erected  on  the  Capitoline  Hill  an  altar,  and  inscribed  it 
"  Ara  primogeniti  Dei."  The  church  called  the  Ara-Coeli  stands  on 
the  same  spot  as  that  on  which  the  altar  was  built ;  and  in  it  is  a 
bas-relief  representing  this  legend,  to  which  a  very  great  antiquity  is 
attached  by  the  Church.  There  are  other  paintings  of  the  same  sub- 
ject. The  Nativity,  when  treated  as  an  historical  event,  is  represented 
in  a  stable,  at  midnight,  and  in  winter.  The  earlier  pictures  give 
Mary  an  appearance  of  suffering,  but  from  the  fourteenth  century  it 
is  not  so.  Sometimes  she  kneels  by  the  child,  or  points  to  the  manger 
in  which  he  lies,  or  bending  over  him  is  bright  with  the  light  which 
comes  from  the  child,  and  which,  according  to  the  legend,  illuminated 
the  place  with  supernatural  light.  Joseph  is  sitting,  or  leaning  on  his 
staff,  and  frequently  holds  a  taper  or  other  light  to  show  that  it  is 
night.  The  angels  who  sang  the  "  Gloria  in  Excelsis "  were  at  first 
represented  as  three,  but  in  later  pictures  their  number  is  larger,  as 
of  a  chorus.  The  ox  and  the  ass  are  invariably  seen.  The  old  monks 
had  various  ideas  associated  with  these  animals.  They  regarded  them 
as  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy  (Habakkuk  iii.  4),  and  as  typical  of  the 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  —  the  ox  representing  the  former  and  the  ass  the 
latter;  and  one  old  writer  relates  that  they  warmed  the  heavenly 
babe  with  their  breath.  Sometimes  the  ass  is  with  open  mouth,  as 
if  proclaiming  in  his  way  the  light  that  had  come  to  enlighten  the 
Gentiles.  The  shepherds  are  frequently  in  the  background.  •  When 
treated  as  a  mystery,  the  Virgin  adores  the  child  who  is  her  son  and 
her  God.  It  is  sometimes  difficult  to  distinguish  between  this  and 
a  "  Madre  Pia,"  but  usually  something  is  introduced  to  denote  the 
Nativity.  The  babe  lies  in  the  centre  with  his  finger  on  his  lip,  as  if 
to  say,  "  Verbum  sum,"  and  looks  upward  to  the  angels,  who  in  the 
heavens  sing  his  glory.  His  hand  sometimes  rests  on  a  wheat-sheaf, 
emblem  of  the  bread  of  life.  Mary  kneels  on  one  side,  and  Joseph, 
if  present,  also  kneels;  and  often  angels  adore  and  sustain  the  child.      ^.^ 


ift 


196  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

WlieD  other  figures  are  introduced,  they  are  saints,  or  votaries  for 
whom  the  picture  was  painted.     December  25. 

The  Adoration  of  the  Shepherds  (Fr.  L' Adoration  des  "Bergers; 
Ger.  Die  Anbetung  der  Ilirten ;  Ital.  L'Adorazione  dei  Pastori). 
The  shepherds  present  their  offerings  of  fruits,  lambs,  or  doves,  and 
with  uncovered  heads  show  their  devotion  with  rude  simplicity. 
AVomen,  dogs,  and  sheep  sometimes  accompany  them  ;  and  there  is 
a  legend  that  the  Apostles  Simeon  and  Jude  were  of  their  number. 
Sometimes  the  child  sleeps,  and  the  Virgin  or  Joseph  raises  the 
covering  to  show  him  to  the  shepherds.  When  angels  scatter  flowers, 
they  are  those  gathered  in  heaven. 

The  Adoration  of  the  Magi  {Ger.  Die  heilige  drei  Konigen ;  Die 
Anbetung  der  Weisen  aus  dem  Morgenland ;  Ital.  L'Adorazione  de' 
Magia;  L'Epifania;  i^r.  L' Adoration  des  Rois  Mages).  This  picture, 
while  it  makes  one  of  the  historical  series  in  the  life  of  the  Virgin, 
has  another  deep  interest  in  the  consideration  that  it  is  the  ex- 
pression of  the  Epii)hany, — of  the  manifestation  to  the  Gentiles  of 
God  made  man.  The  legend  follows  the  Scripture  account,  and  the 
reasonable  inferences  to  be  deduced  from  it,  more  closely  than  many 
others.  It  is  that  these  Magi  were  not  men  who  knew  the  arts  of 
magic,  but  wise  prmces  of  some  eastern  country.  The  prophecy  of 
Balaam  had  been  held  in  remembrance  by  their  people,  "  I  shall  see 
him,  but  not  now ;  I  shall  behold  him,  but  not  nigh  :  there  shall 
come  a  Star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  sceptre  shall  rise  out  of  Israel," 
and  when  they  saw  a  star  differing  from  those  which  as  learned 
astronomers  they  had  studied,  they  recognized  it  as  the  star  of  the 
proj)hecy,  and  at  once  followed  whither  it  led.  It  has  been  said  that 
the  star  when  first  seen  had  the  form  of  a  child  bearing  a  sceptre  or 
cross.  The  wise  men  said  farewell  to  their  homes  and  friends,  and 
took  numerous  attend.'mts  for  their  long  journey.  After  many  perils, 
the  climbing  of  mountains,  the  crossing  of  deep  streams,  and  many 
difficulties,  they  came  to  Jerusalem.  On  inquiry  for  the  King  they 
sought,  they  were  directed  to  Bethlehem,  and  asked  by  Herod  to 
bring  him  news  on  their  return  of  where  the  child  could  be  found, 
that  he  too  might  worship  him.  At  length  the  star  stood  still  over 
the  lowly  place  where  Jesus  was.  No  matter  how  different  may 
have  been  their  previous  imaginations  from  the  reality  they  found, 
their  faith  was  equal  to  the  demand  upon  it;  and  they  bowed  down. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  197 

thus  giving  themselves  first,  and  then  presented  the  gold,  which 
signified  that  Jesus  was  king;  the  frankincense,  that  he  was  God; 
and  the  myrrh,  that  he  was  suffering  man,  and  must  yield  to  death. 
In  return  for  their  gifts  Christ  gave  them  charity  and  spiritual  riches 
in  place  of  gold;  perfect  faith  for  their  incense;  and  for  myrrh  truth 
and  meekness  of  spirit.  The  Virgin  gave  them,  as  a  precious  memo- 
rial, one  of  the  linen  bands  in  which  she  had  wrapped  the  divine 
child.  Being  warned  in  a  dream,  they  returned  not  to  Herod,  but 
went  another  way.  There  is  a  legend  that  their  homeward  journey 
was  made  in  ships;  and  in  a  commentary  of  the  fifth  century  on  the 
Psalms  it  is  said  that  when  Herod  found  that  they  had  escaped 
from  him  "  in  ships  of  Tarsus,"  he  burned  all  the  vessels  in  the  port. 
But  however  they  returned,  the  legend  relates  that  the  star  guided 
them  to  the  East  as  it  had  led  them  from  it,  and  they  reached  their 
homes  in  safety.  They  never  again  assumed  their  former  state,  but 
in  imitation  of  their  new  sovereign  they  gave  their  w^ealth  to  the 
poor,  and  went  about  to  preach  the  new  gospel  of  peace.  There  is 
a  tradition  that  after  forty  years,  w^hen  St.  Thomas  went  to  the 
Indies,  he  met  there  these  wise  men  and  baptized  them ;  and  after- 
wards, as  they  continued  to  preach,  they  went  among  barbarians  and 
were  put  to  death.  Long  after,  their  remains  were  found,  and  the 
Empress  Helena  had  them  removed  to  Constantinople.  During  the 
first  Crusade  they  were  carried  to  Milan,  and  lastly  the  Emperor 
Barbarossa  placed  them  in  the  cathedral  at  Cologne,  where  they 
remain  in  a  costly  shrine  whereat  many  wonderful  miracles  have  been 
wrought.  The  names  of  these  three  "  Kings  of  Cologne,"  as  they  are 
often  called,  are  Jasper,  or  Caspar,  Melchior,  and  Balthasar.  In  the 
pictures  they  are  of  three  ages  :  the  first,  Jaspar,  very  old,  with  gray 
beard ;  Melchior  of  middle  age ;  and  Balthasar  always  young,  and 
sometimes  a  Moor  or  black  man,  to  signify  that  he  was  of  Ethiopia, 
and  that  Christ  came  to  redeem  all  races.  Sometimes  this  idea  is 
manifested  by  making  Balthasar's  servant  black.  Their  costumes,  at- 
tendants, and  various  appointments  vary  with  the  time  in  which  the 
pictures  were  painted,  and  with  the  nationality  of  the  artist.  Xow 
they  have  all  the  usiial  paraphernalia  of  royalty  as  seen  in  the  conti- 
nental capitals ;  again  the  knowledge  acquired  in  the  Crusades  was  em- 
ployed, and  all  about  them  is  Oriental  in  style  ;  and  elephants,  leopards, 
and  even  monkeys  are  introduced  into  the  scene.     The  holy  child  is 


198  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

sometimes  held  bj  his  mother,  and  sometimes  sits  alone,  but  usually 
raises  his  hand  as  if  in  blessing,  lu  early  days  Joseph  was  seldom 
present ;  but  as  devotion  to  him  increased  in  the  Church,  he  was 
more  frequently  made  an  actor  in  this  scene :  he  sometimes  only 
looks  on  quietly;  again  he  receives  the  treasure,  and  in  some  in- 
stances the  Magi  seem  to  congratulate  him.  The  various  modes 
of  representing  this  inexhaustible  subject  would  if  described  fill  a 
volume.     January  G. 

The  Purification  of  the  Virgin  ;  The  Presentation  of  Christ  in  the 
Temple  {Ital.  La  Purificazione  della  B.  Vergine ;  Ger.  Die  Dar- 
bringung  im  Tempel).  The  Virgin,  after  the  birth  of  her  son, 
complied  with  all  the  requirements  of  the  law,  and  the  scene  in 
the  Temple  is  sometimes  called  the  Purification,  but  more  fre- 
quently it  is  regarded  as  referring  especially  to  the  Saviour ;  and 
many  representations  present  the  prophecy  of  Simeon  as  the  impor- 
tant event  in  the  scene.  It  is  also  considered  as  the  first  of  the 
seven  sorrows  of  the  Virgin ;  and  the  words,  "  Yea,  a  sword  shall 
pierce  through  thy  own  soul  also,"  may  well  have  saddened  the 
heart  of  Mary,  and  given  her  a  warning  of  all  the  glorious  sorrows 
■which  were  before  her.  The  legend  of  Simeon  is  so  closely  con- 
nected with  this  scene  as  to  be  better  given  here  than  elsewhere. 
Two  hundred  and  sixty  years  b.  c,  Ptolemy  Philadelphus  requested 
the  high-priest  of  the  Jews  to  send  him  scribes  and  interpreters  to 
translate  for  him  the  Hel)rew  Scriptures,  so  that  he  might  place  them 
in  Ills  library.  Six  learned  Rabbis  from  each  tribe  were  sent,  seventy- 
two  in  all ;  and  among  them  Simeon,  who  was  full  of  learning.  His 
j)()rtion  was  tlie  book  of  Isaiah  ;  and  when  he  came  to  the  sentence, 
"  liohcjld  a  Virgin  shall  conceive,"  he  feared  tlie  translation  might 
offend  the  Greeks,  and  after  much  consideration  he  rendered  it  a 
young  woman,  l)ut  when-  it  was  written,  an  angel  effaced  it,  and 
wrote  the  word  Virgin  as  it  should  be.  Then  Simeon  wrote  it  again 
and  again,  and  every  time  it  was  changed.  When  this  was  done 
three  times,  he  was  confounded  ;  and  as  he  meditated  on  this,  it  was 
revealed  to  him  that  the  prophecy  should  not  only  be  fulfilled,  but 
that  he  "should  not  see  death  till  he  had  seen  the  Lord's  Christ." 
So  he  lived  until  these  things  came  to  pass,  and  then  he  was  led 
to  tlje  Temple  on  the  very  day  when  this  Virgin  Mother  came  to 
present  there  her  Divine  Son.     And  there  it  was  that  he  exclaimed, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  199 

when  his  prophecy  was  ended,  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant 
depart  in  peace  according  to  thy  word."  Anna  the  prophetess  has 
her  part  in  this  picture.  She  prophesied  of  him  who  should  bring 
redemption  to  Israel,  but  she  did  not  take  the  child ;  from  this  she 
has  been  regarded  as  an  image  of  the  synagogue,  which  had  prophe- 
sied much  of  the  Messiah,  but  failed  to  embrace  him  when  he  came. 
This  picture  is  frequently  called  the  Niuic  Dimittis,  which  is  its  title 
in  Greek  art.     February  2. 

The  Flight  into  Egypt  {Ital.  La  Fuga  in  Egitto;  Fr.  La  Fuito 
de  la  Sainte  Famille  en  Egypte ;  Ger,  Die  Flucht  nach  Aegypten). 
There  are  various  legends  connected  with  this  journey  of  the  Holy 
Family  which  have  been  illustrated  by  artists.  One  is  that  when, 
escaping,  and  fearing  lest  they  should  be  overtaken  by  the  officers  of 
Herod,  they  came  to  a  place  where  a  man  was  sowing  wheat.  Mary 
said  to  him,  "  If  any  shall  ask  you  whether  we  have  passed  this  way, 
ye  shall  answer,  '  Such  persons  passed  this  way  when  I  was  sowing 
this  corn.' "  And  then,  by  a  miracle  of  the  infant  Jesus,  the  corn 
grew  in  one  night  so  as  to  be  fit  for  the  harvest.  Next  day  the  offi- 
cers did  indeed  come ;  and  the  man,  who  was  cutting  his  wheat  in 
great  wonder  and  thankfulness,  answered  as  he  had  been  instructed, 
and  the  pursuers  turned  back.  Another  legend  relates  that  the 
Holy  Family  encountered  a  band  of  robbers,  of  which  there  were 
large  numbers  in  that  country  in  those  days.  One  of  the  robbers 
was  about  to  attack  them  when  another  said,  "  Suffiar  them,  I  beseech 
thee,  to  go  in  peace,  and  I  will  give  thee  forty  groats,  and  likewise  my 
girdle."  This  offer  the  first  robber  accepted.  The  second  then  took 
the  travellers  to  a  safe  place,  where  they  passed  the  night.  The  Virgin 
said  to  him,  "  The  Lord  God  will  receive  thee  to  his  right  hand,  and 
grant  thee  pardon  of  thy  sins  !  "  And  this  was  done  ;  for  (according  to 
the  legend)  these  were  the  two  thieves  who, were  crucified  w^ith  Jesus, 
and  the  merciful  one  was  the  same  who  went  with  Christ  to  Paradise. 
Another  popular  incident  of  this  journey  in  legendary  writings  is 
that  the  palm-tree  bent  its  branches  at  the  command  of  the  child,  to 
shade  the  Blessed  Virgin.  It  is  also  related  that  a  tree  which  grew 
at  the  gate  of  Heliopolis  and  was  venerated  as  the  home  of  a  god,  bowed 
itself  at  the  approach  of  the  Saviour,  and  that  all  along  the  route 
of  the  Holy  Famil}^,  wherever  there  were  idols,  these  fell  on  their 
faces  and  were  broken  in  fragments.     This  is  assented  to  by  religious 


200  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

antliorities  as  well  as  by  writers  of  legends.  There  are  many  ways  of 
representing  tlie  three  travellers  on  this  remarkable  journey,  but  all 
are  easily  recognized.  There  are  a  few  in  which  they  are  either  em- 
barking or  are  in  a  boat  crossing  one  of  the  streams  or  lakes  which  in- 
tercepted the  course  of  their  journey.  Sometimes  an  angel  assists  the 
Vir"-in  to  enter,  and  sometimes  steers  the  boat.    See,  also,  St.  Joseph. 

The  iiepose  of  the  Holy  Family  (Ital.  II  Riposo  ;  Ger.  Die  Kuhe 
in  Aegypten  ;  Fr.  Le  llepos  de  la  Saiute  Famille).  The  subject  of 
this  picture  is  really  an  incident  of  the  Flight ;  but  it  is  not  found 
in  very  early  art,  —  rarely,  if  at  all,  before  the  sixteenth  century. 
When  other  figures  than  those  of  the  Virgin  and  child  with  Joseph 
are  introduced,  it  is  not  a  Riposo,  but  a  Holy  Family.  The  legend 
states  that  the  Holy  Family  reposed  beneath  a  sycamore  grove  near 
the  village  of  Matarea,  and  that  near  the  same  village  a  fountain 
sprang  forth  miraculously  for  their  refreshment.  This  gave  a  reli- 
gious interest  to  the  sycamore,  and  the  Crusaders  brought  it  to  Eu- 
rope ;  and  this  same  "  Fountain  of  Mary  "  was  shown  me  by  the  Arab 
guides,  a  few  miles  from  Cairo.  Mary  is  sometimes  painted  dipping 
water,  and  again  washing  linen  in  this  fountain,  which  the  legend 
also  tells  that  she  did.  In  pictures  of  the  Repose,  angels  often 
minister  to  the  comfort  of  the  travellers,  in  various  ways  and  with 
beautiful  propriety.  There  is  a  wild  ballad  legend,  which  probably 
originated  in  tlie  East,  which  gives  an  account  of  the  meeting  of  Mary 
and  a  Zingara,  or  gypsy.  The  gypsy  crosses  the  palm  of  the  child 
and  tells  his  future,  according  to  their  customs.  Her  prophecy  of 
all  his  sutFerings  quite  overcomes  the  Virgin  ;  but  the  Zingara  con- 
soles her  with  the  assurance  of  the  redemption  of  mankind  through 
all  tliese  sorrows,  and  ends  by  asking  forgiveness  of  her  sins,  instead 
of  the  usual  gold  or  silver  piece  the  gypsies  love  so  well.  This  af- 
fords a  fine  subject  for  art,  and  has  been  painted.  When  tljc  Holy 
Family  are  seen  as  on  a  journey,  and  the  Saviour  represented  as 
walking,  it  is  the  return  from  Egypt  that  is  intended. 

The  Holy  Family  (Fr.  La  Sainte  Famille  ;  Hal.  La  Sacra  Famiglia, 
La  Sacra  Conversazione).  From  the  return  to  Nazareth  until  Jesus 
is  twelve  years  old,  the  Gospels  record  no  events  of  tlie  life  of  the 
Virgin  or  her  Son.  Under  the  title  of  Holy  Family,  there  are  hun- 
dreds of  pictures  representing  the  imaginary  life  of  these  exalted 
ones,   whose    every   act   was  full  of  interest   to  all  the  world.     The 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  201 

simplest  form  is  that  of  two  figures,  the  Virgin  and  Child ;  and  fre- 
quently she  is  nursing  the  babe,  sometimes  kisses  him,  or  amuses  him 
with  playthings,  and  again  watches  him  asleep,  and  ponders  in  her 
heart  upon  her  wonderful  child  ;  which  last  are  called  "  II  Silenzio," 
or  •'  Le  Sommeil  de  Jesus."  Where  there  arc  three  figures  it  is  gen- 
erally St.  John  who  is  added,  but  sometimes  St.  Joseph  makes  the 
third.  Four  figures  include  either  St.  John  and  St.  Elizabeth  or 
more  rarely  St.  Joseph  and  St.  John.  Five  figures  include  all  who 
have  been  named,  and  Zacharias  sometimes  makes  the  sixth.  More 
than  these  are  unusual,  although  there  are  pictures  in  which  large 
numbers  surround  the  Holy  Family  proper,  and  are  supposed  to  rep- 
resent the  relatives  of  the  Saviour,  especially  those  who  were  after- 
wards to  be  his  disciples  and  followers.  But  any  description  of  these 
pictures  would  fill  volumes.  Many  of  them  are  designated  by  some 
prominent  peculiarity,  and  bear  such  names  as  "La  Vierge  aux  Cerises," 
"La  Vierge  a  la  Diademe,"  "La  Vierge  a  I'Oreiller  Verd,"  "La  Ma- 
donna del  Bacino,"  "  Le  Menage  du  Menuisier,"  "  Le  Raboteur,"  etc. 

The  Dispute  in  the  Temple  {Ital.  La  Disputa  nel  Tempio ;  Fr. 
Jesus  an  milieu  des  "Docteurs).  While  this  is  the  representation 
of  a  very  important  act  in  the  life  of  Jesus,  it  is  quite  as  frequently 
made  one  of  the  series  from  the  life  of  the  Virgin.  And  in  regarding 
these  pictures  it  will  aid  one  to  consider  whether  it  is  the  wonderful 
knowledge  of  Jesus  or  the  grief  of  Mary  which  is  the  more  forcibly 
portrayed. 

The  Death  of  Joseph  {Ital.  La  Morte  di  San  Giuseppe ;  Fr.  La 
Mort  de  St.  Joseph  ;  Ger.  Josefs  Tod).     See  St.  Joseph. 

The  Marriage  at  Cana  in  Galilee  {Ital.  Le  Nozze  di  Cana;  Fr. 
Les  JSToces  de  Cana ;  Ger.  Die  Hochzeit  zu  Cana).  Although  Jesus 
performed  his  first  miracle  at  this  marriage  feast,  it  was  not  a  fa- 
vorite subject  in  early  art.  It  is  accounted  greatly  to  the  Virgin's 
honor  that  this  miracle  was  done  at  her  request.  His  answer,  that 
his  hour  had  not  yet  come,  and  his  performing  the  miracle  imme- 
diately after,  is  construed  to  mean  that  although  the  period  had  not 
fully  arrived  for  the  use  of  his  power,  still,  out  of  regard  to  his  mother 
and  her  wishes,  the  power  was  put  forth.  In  some  pictures  the  bride 
is  dressed  as  a  nun  about  to  make  her  vows ;  and  an  ancient  legend 
declared  that  this  was  the  marriage  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist  with 
Mary  Magdalene,   and   that    immediately  they   separated,   and   led 


202  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

chaste  and  austere  lives,  dcvotin;^  themselves  to  Christ's  service. 
After  this  marriage  the  Virgin  is  scarcely  mentioned  in  the  Gospels 
until  the  time  of  the  Crucifixion. 

In  the  liosarj  two  scenes  from  the  Passion  of  Our  Lord  make 
two  of  tlie  mystical  sorrows  :  the  Procession  to  Calvary,  or  "  II  Por- 
tamento della  Croce,"  and  the  Crucifixion.  It  was  in  the  Via 
Dolorosa,  through  which  Christ  bore  his  cross,  that  ^lary  is  said 
to  have  fainted  at  the  sight  of  his  sufferings,  and  this  incident  is 
frequently  a  subject  of  painting.  The  celebrated  "  Lo  Spasimo  di 
Sicilia"  of  Eaphael  represents  Mary  as  "  Notre  Dame  du  Spasnie," 
or  "du  Pamoison,"  as  the  French  call  the  mournful  festival  which 
they  keep  in  Passion  Week  to  commemorate  this  event.  The 
Italians  call  these  representations  "II  Pianto  di  Maria,"  or  "La 
Madonna  dello  Spasimo."  But  in  all  these  pictures  and  those  of 
the  Crucifixion,  Mary  is  a  prominent  figure.  There  has  been  much 
said  and  written  upon  the  impropriety  of  representing  the  Virgin  as 
too  greatly  overcome  with  her  grief,  as  it  is  thought  to  detract  from 
the  grandeur  of  her  character ;  and  it  would  seem  that  although  the 
time  had  come  when  Simeon's  prophecy  was  fulfilled,  yet  her  heaven- 
given  patience  and  hope  should  have  sustained  her,  and  she  should 
have  endured  where  any  other  mother  might  have  fainted.^  The 
legend  relates  that  in  the  Descent  from  the  Cross,  when  Joseph  of 
Arimathea  and  Nicodemus  removed  the  nails  from  the  hands  of  the 
Saviour,  St.  John  took  them  away  secretly,  that  Mary  might  not  see 
them  ;  and  while  Nicodemus  drew  forth  those  which  held  the  feet, 
Joseph  so  sustained  the  body  that  the  head  and  arms  of  Jesus  hung 
over  his  shoulder.  Then  Mary  arose,  and  kissed  the  bleeding  hands 
of  her  beloved  Son,  and  clasping  them  tenderly,  sank  to  tlie  earth  in 
anguish  ;  and  tliis  action  is  usually  represented  in  pictures  of  the 
Descent  from  the  Cross.  In  the  Deposition,  or  the  act"  of  laying 
down  the  body  of  Clirist,  the  Virgin  supports  her  Son,  or  bends  ten- 
derly over  him.  In  older  pictures  she  is  fainting  here,  which  docs 
not  meet  with  the  same  censure  from  critics  in  this  case  as  in  the 
Procession  to  Calvary.  The  Virgin  is  also  seen  in  the  representa- 
tions of  the  Entombment,  although  this  is  not  painted  in  the  series 
of  the  Life  of  the  Virgin  ;  and  in  this,  as  in  the  others,  her  sorrow  is 
often  expressed  by  fainting.      The  next  subject   in  course  is,  John 

^  "Now,  there  stood  by  the  Cross  of  Jesus,  his  Mother."  — John  xix.  25. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  203 

conducting  the  Virgin  to  his  Home,  which,  beautiful  as  it  is,  did  not 
appear  in  works  of  art  until  the  seventeenth  century,  so  that  it  is 
not  frequently  seen.  Although  not  recorded  in  Scripture,  the  tradi- 
tions tell  that  Jesus  appeared  first  of  all  to  his  mother,  and  the 
story  is  thus  told  :  After  all  was  finished,  Mary  retired  to  her  cham- 
ber, and  waited  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  of  Christ's  resur- 
rection. And  she  prayed  earnestly  :  "  Thou  didst  promise,  0  my 
most  dear  Sou,  that  thou  wouldst  rise  again  on  the  third  day. 
Before  yesterday  was  the  day  of  darkness  and  bitterness ;  and  be- 
hold, this  is  the  third  day.  Return  then  to  me,  thy  mother.  0  my 
Son,  tarry  not,  but  come  ! "  And  while  she  prayed,  a  company  of 
angels  surrounded  her,  and  they  waved  palms,  and  joyously  sang 
the  Easter  hymn,  "  Regina  Coeli  laetare,  Alleluia ! "  Then  Christ 
entered,  bearing  the  standard  of  the  cross,  and  followed  by  the 
patriarchs  and  prophets  whom  he  had  released  from  Hades.  All 
knelt  before  Mary,  and  thanked  her  because  their  deliverance  had 
come  through  her.  But  she  greatly  desired  to  hear  the  voice  of 
Jesus,  and  he  raised  his  hand  in  benediction,  saying,  "  I  salute  thee, 
O  my  mother!"  And  she  fell  on  his  neck,  exclaiming,  "Is  it  thou, 
indeed,  my  most  dear  Son  1  "  Then  he  showed  her  his  wounds,  and 
bade  her  be  comforted  since  he  had  triumphed  over  death  and  hell. 
Then  Mary  on  her  knees  thanked  him  that  she  had  been  his  mother, 
and  they  talked  together  until  he  left  her  to  show  himself  next  to 
Mary  Magdalene.  The  representations  of  the  Apparition  of  Christ 
to  the  Virgin  are  in  the  most  matter-of-ftict  style,  and  poorly  portray 
the  spirit  of  this  beautiful  legend.  The  Ascension  of  Christ  is  the 
seventh  of  the  mystical  sorrows  of  the  Virgin,  for  by  it  she  was  left 
alone.  The  legends  say  that  she  was  present,  and  gazing  at  the 
departing  Saviour,  prayed,  "My  Son,  remember  me  when  thou 
comest  to  thy  kingdom.  Leave  me  not  long  after  thee,  my  Son  ! " 
Mary,  when  represented  in  the  pictures  of  the  Descent  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  is  placed  in  the  centre  or  in  front,  as  Regina  et  Mater  Apos- 
tolorum.  It  has  been  objected  that  as  Mary  was  Wisdom,  or  the 
Mother  of  Wisdom,  she  needed  no  accession  of  understanding.  But 
if  the  testimony  of  Scripture  is  taken,  it  would  seem  proper  that 
she  should  be  represented  here  (Acts  i.  14  and  ii.  1).  There  is  no 
authoritative  record  of  the  life  of  Mary  after  the  ascension  of  Jesus ; 
but  there  are  many  legends  which  speak  of  circumstances  of  her  life, 


204  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

and  a  very  curious  one  of  her  death  and  assumption.  One  which  has 
heen  the  subject  of  pictures  is  the  Communion  of  Mary,  in  which  she 
receives  the  Sacrament  from  the  hand  of  St.  John.  The  traditions 
relate  tliat  when  the  persecution  began  at  Jerusalem,  the  Virgin  went 
with  St.  John  to  Ephesus,  accompanied  by  Mary  Magdalene  ;  also, 
that  she  dwelt  on  Mt.  Carmel  in  an  oratory  which  the  prophet  Elijah 
had  built,  and  from  this  she  became  the  patroness  of  the  Carmelites, 
and  the  sixteenth  day  of  July  is  set  apart  by  the  Church  as  that  of 
the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  of  Mt.  Carmel. 

7yie  Death  and  Assunij)tioii  of  the  Virgin  (Lat.  Dormitio,  Pausatio, 
Transitus,  Assumptio,  B.  Virginis ;  Ital.  II  Transito  di  Maria,  II  Sonne 
dclla  Beata  Vergine,  L'Assunzione ;  /"r.  La  Mort  de  la  Vicrge, 
L'Assomption  ;  Ger.  Das  Absterben  der  Maria,  Maria  Himmelfahrt). 
Sometimes  these  two  events  are  represented  together,  the  death 
making  the  lower,  and  the  apotheosis  the  upper  portion  of  the  picture. 
But  so  many  circumstances  of  the  legend  are  jjortrayed  in  these  pic- 
tures that  they  cannot  be  well  understood  without  a  knowledge  of  it. 
It  is  thus  given  by  Mrs.  Jameson  in  the  "  Legends  of  the  Madonna  :  " 
"  Mary  dwelt  in  the  house  of  John  upon  Mt.  Sion,  looking  for  the 
fullilment  of  the  promise  of  deliverance ;  and  she  spent  her  days  in 
visiting  those  places  which  had  been  hallowed  by  the  baptism,  the 
sufferings,  the  burial  and  resurrection  of  her  divine  Son,  but  more 
particularly  the  tomb  wherein  he  was  laid.  And  she  did  not  this  as 
seeking  the  living  among  the  dead,  but  for  consolation  and  for  remem- 
brance. And  on  a  certain  day  the  heart  of  the  Virgin,  being  filled 
with  an  inexpressible  longing  to  behold  her  Son,  melted  away  within 
her,  and  she  wept  abundantly.  And,  lo  !  an  angel  ap])eared  before 
her  clothed  in  light,  as  with  a  garment.  And  he  saluted  her,  and 
said,  '  Hail,  0  Min*y  !  blessed  by  Him  who  hath  given  salvation  to 
Israel  !  I  bring  thee  here  a  branch  of  i)alm  gathered  in  Paradise  ; 
command  that  it  be  carried  before  thy  bier  in  the  day  of  thy  death ; 
for  in  three  days  thy  soul  shall  leave  thy  body,  and  thou  shalt  enter 
into  Paradise,  where  thy  Son  awaits  thy  coming.'  Mary,  answering, 
said  :  *  If  i  have  found  grace  in  thy  eyes,  tell  mo  first  what  is  thy 
name;  an<l  <rrant  that  tlio  Apostles,  my  brethren,  may  be  reunited 
to  me  before  I  die,  that  in  their  presence  I  may  give  up  my  soul  to 
Cod.  Also,  I  j)ray  thee  that  my  soul,  when  delivered  from  my  body, 
may  not  be  allrighted  by  any  spirit  of  darkness,  nor  any  evil  angel 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  205 

be  allowed  to  have  any  power  over  me.*     And  the  angel  said,  '  Why 
dost  thou  ask  my  name  1     My  name  is  the  Great  and  the  Wonderful. 
And  now  doubt  not  that  all  the  Apostles  shall  be  reunited  to  thee  this 
day ;  for  He  who  in  former  times  transported  the  prophet  Habakkuk 
from  Judaea  to  Jerusalem  by  the  hair  of  his  head,  can  as  easily  bring 
hither  the  Apostles.     And  fear  thou  not  the  evil  spirit ;  for  hast  thou 
not  bruised  his  head,  and  destroyed  his  kingdom  1'     And  having  said 
these  words,  the  angel  departed  into  heaven ;  and  the  palm  branch 
which  he  had  left  behind  him  shed  light  from  every  leaf,  and  sparkled 
as  the  stars  of  the  morning.     Then  Mary  lighted  the  lamps  and  pre- 
pared her  bed,  and  waited  until  the  hour  w^as  come.     And  in  the  same 
instant  John,   who  was  preaching  at  Ephesus,  and  Peter,  who  was 
preaching  at  Antioch,  and  all  the  other  Apostles,  who  were  dispersed 
in   different  parts  of  the  w^orld,  w^ere   suddenly  caught   up  as  by  a 
miraculous  power,  and  found  themselves  before  the  door  of  the  habi- 
tation of  Mary.     When  Mary  saw  them  all  assembled  round  her, 
she  blessed  and  thanked  the  Lord  ;  and  she  placed  in  the  hands  of 
St.  John  the  shining  palm,  and  desired  that  he  should  bear  it  before 
her  at  the  time  of  her  burial.     Then  Mary,  kneeling  down,  made  her 
prayer  to  the  Lord,  her  Son,  and  the  others  prayed  with  her ;  then 
she  laid  herself  down  in  her  bed,  and  composed  herself  for  death. 
And  John  wept  bitterly.     And  about  the  third  hour  of  the  night,  as 
Peter  stood  at  the  head  of  the  bed,  and  John  at  the  foot,  and  the 
other   Apostles   around,   a  mighty    sound   filled    the    house,    and    a 
delicious  perfume  filled  the  chamber.     And  Jesus  himself  appeared, 
accompanied    by    an    innumerable     company   of  angels,    patriarchs, 
and  prophets ;  all  these  surrounded  the  bed  of  the  Virgin,  singing 
hymns  of  joy.     And  Jesus  said  to  his  mother,  'Arise,   my  beloved, 
mine   elect !    come   with  me   from    Lebanon,  my   espoused !  receive 
the  crown  that  is  destined  for  thee  ! '     And  Mary,  answering,  said, 
*  My  heart  is  ready ;   for  it  was  written  of  me  that  I  should  do  thy 
will ! '     Then  all  the   angels  and   blessed   spirits   who  accompanied 
Jesus  began  to  sing  and  rejoice.     And   the  soul  of  Mary  left  her 
body,  and  was  received  into  the  arms  of  her  Son ;  and  together  they 
ascended  into  heaven.     And  the  Apostles  looked  up,  saying,  *  0  most 
prudent  Virgin,  remember  us  when  thou  comest  to  glory  ! '  and  the 
angels  who  received  her  into  heaven  sung  these  words,  *  Who  is  this 
that  Cometh  up  from  the  wilderness  leaning  upon  her  Beloved  ]     She 


206  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

is  fjiirer  than  all  the  dau<:htcrs  of  Jerusalem.'  But  the  body  of  Mary 
reniaiued  upon  the  earth  ;  and  three  among  the  vir;,ans  prepared  to 
wash  and  clothe  it  in  a  shroud ;  but  such  a  glory  of  light  surrounded 
her  form,  that  though  they  touched  it  they  could  not  see  it,  and  no 
human  eye  beheld  those  chaste  and  sacred  limbs  unclothed.  Then 
the  Apostles  took  her  up  reverently,  and  placed  her  upon  a  bier,  and 
John,  carrying  the  celestial  joalm,  went  before.  Peter  sung  the  114th 
Psalm,  'In  exitu  Israel  de  Egypto,  domus  Jacob  de  populo  barbaro,* 
and  the  angels  followed  after,  also  singing.  The  wicked  Jews,  hearing 
these  melodious  voices,  ran  together ;  and  the  high-priest,  being  seized 
with  fury,  laid  his  hands  upon  the  bier,  intending  to  overturn  it  on 
the  earth ;  but  both  his  arms  were  suddenly  dried  up,  so  that  he 
could  not  move  them,  and  he  was  overcome  with  fear ;  and  he  prayed 
to  St.  Peter  for  help,  and  Peter  said,  *  Have  faith  in  Jesus  Christ 
and  his  Mother,  and  thou  shalt  be  healed  ; '  and  it  was  so.  Then 
they  went  on,  and  laid  the  Virgin  in  a  tomb  in  the  Valley  of  Jehosha- 
phat.  And  on  the  third  day  Jesus  said  to  the  angels,  '  What  honor 
shall  I  confer  on  her  who  was  my  mother  on  earth,  and  brought  me 
forth  ] '  And  they  answered,  '  Lord,  suffer  not  tliat  body  which  was 
thy  temple  and  thy  dwelling  to  see  corruption ;  but  place  her  beside 
thee  on  thy  throne  in  heaven.'  And  Jesus  consented ;  and  the 
Archangel  Michael  brought  unto  the  Lord  the  glorious  soul  of  our 
Lady.  And  the  Lord  said,  '  liise  up,  my  dove,  my  undefiled,  for 
thou  shalt  not  remain  in  the  darkness  of  the  grave,  nor  shalt  thou 
see  corruption  ;  *  and  immediately  the  soul  of  ^lary  rejoined  her  body, 
and  she  arose  up  glorious  from  the  tomb  and  ascended  into  heaven, 
surrounded  and  welcomed  by  troops  of  angels,  blowing  their  silver 
trumpets,  toucliing  their  golden  lutes,  singing  and  rejoicing  as  tiiey 
sung,  *  Wi)o  is  she  that  riseth  as  the  morning,  fair  as  the  moon,  clear 
as  the  sun,  and  terril)le  as  an  ai-iny  with  banners?'  (Cant.  vi.  10.) 
But  one  among  the  Apostles  was  absent  ;  and  wlien  he  arrived  soon 
after,  he  would  not  believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  Virgin  (and 
tl)is  Apostle  was  the  same  Thomas  who  had  formerly  been  slow  to 
believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord)  ;  and  he  desired  that  the 
tomb  should  be  opened  before  liini,  and  when  it  was  opened  it  was 
found  to  be  full  of  lilies  and  roses.  Thou  Tliomas,  looking  \\\)  to 
heav(.'n,  beljold  the  Virgin  bodily,  in  a  glory  of  light,  slowly  mounting 
towards  the  heaven;  and  she,  for  the  assurance  of  his  faith,  flung 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  207 

down  to  him  her  girdle,  the  same  which  is  to  tliis  day  preserved  in 
the  cathedral  of  Prato.  And  there  were  present  at  the  death  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  besides  the  twelve  Apostles,  Dionysius  the  Areopagite, 
Timotheus,  and  Hierotheus ;  and  of  the  women,  Mary  Salome,  Mary 
Cleophas,  and  a  faithful  handmaid  whose  name  was  Savia."  The 
French  legend  gives  Mary  Magdalene  and  Martha  among  those  who 
witnessed  the  Virgin's  death.  The  full  illustration  of  this  legend 
re(iuires  seven  different  scenes;  namely,  (1)  The  Angel  announces  her 
Death,  and  presents  the  Palm ;  (2)  She  takes  leave  of  the  Apostles ; 
(3)  Her  Death ;  (4)  The  Bearing  to  the  Sepulchre ;  (5)  The  Entomb- 
ment; (6)  The  Assumption ;  (7)  The  Coronation  in  Heaven.  Fre- 
quently two  or  three  of  these  scenes  are  represented  together  ;  as,  the 
Death  below,  and  the  Assumption  above,  and  sometimes  the  Corona- 
tion above  all.  The  angel  who  announces  the  death  frequently 
presents  a  taper  to  the  Virgin.  It  is  customary  to  place  a  blessed 
taper  in  the  hand  of  one  dying.  The  death  of  the  Virgin  is  sometimes 
called  the  Sleep  (II  Sonno  della  Madonna),  as  in  early  times  a  belief 
existed  that  she  only  slept  before  her  assumption.  This  belief  has 
since  been  declared  heretical.  There  are  two  modes  of  treating  the 
Assumption  :  one  represents  the  assumption  of  the  soul,  and  in- this 
Christ  receives  the  spirit,  standing  near  the  death-bed  of  the  Virgin. 
The  other  portrays  the  union  of  the  soul  to  the  body,  when  it  rises 
from  the  tomb,  and  leaving  earth  and  all  earthly  things,  the  Mother 
soars  to  meet  the  Son,  and  to  share  his  glory  and  his  throne  for- 
evermore.  She  is  represented  in  a  mandorla,  or  aureole,  crowned  or 
veiled  (sometimes  both),  her  dress  spangled  with  stars,  and  surrounded 
by  angels.  These  are  the  more  ideal  or  devotional  pictures.  The 
strictly  historical  ones  have  the  wondering  Apostles,  the  doubting 
Thomas,  and  the  blossoming  tomb  below  ;  while  Marj',  "  quasi  aurora 
consurgens  "  is  borne  towards  heaven.  The  Legend  of  the  Holy  Girdle 
belongs  properly  to  the  consideration  of  the  pictures  of  the  Assump- 
tion of  the  Virgin.  It  is  of  Greek  origin,  and  relates  that  St.  Thomas, 
when  about  to  go  to  the  far  East,  gave  the  girdle  to  one  of  his  disci- 
ples for  safe  keeping.  The  girdle  remained  for  a  thousand  years 
guarded  from  profane  eyes,  and  was  in  the  possession  of  a  Greek 
priest,  to  whom  it  had  descended  from  a  remote  ancestry.  He  had 
one  daughter,  dearly  beloved,  to  whom  he  gave  the  care  of  the  sacred 
girdle.     It  happened  that  Michael  of  Prato,  who  had  gone  on  the 


208  LEGEynS  AND  STORIES 

Crusade  of  1096,  had  remained  in  Jerusalem  after  the  war  was  ended, 
and  lodged  in  the  house  of  this  priest.  He  loved  the  daughter,  too, 
and  wished  to  marry  her,  but  the  father  would  not  consent.  Then 
the  mother  assisted  the  lovers  to  be  married,  and  gave  them  the 
precious  girdle  as  a  dowr}'.  They  fled,  and  embarked  for  Tuscany. 
They  landed  at  Pisa,  and  sought  the  home  of  Michael  at  Prato,  bear- 
hig  always  with  them  the  casket  which  held  the  sacred  relic. 
Michael  so  venerated  his  treasure,  and  so  feared  lest  he  should  be 
robbed  of  it,  that  he  every  night  lighted  a  lamp  in  honor  of  it,  and 
besides  placed  it  beneath  his  bed  for  safety.  Now,  although  he  did 
this  without  knowing  that  thus  he  was  wanting  in  resfject  to  so 
holy  a  relic,  it  displeased  his  guardian  angel,  who  every  night  lifted 
him  out  of  his  bed,  and  laid  him  on  the  bare  earth.  At  length 
Michael  fell  sick,  and  knowing  that  he  was  near  death  he  delivered 
the  girdle  to  P>ishop  Uberto,  commanding  him  to  preserve  the  girdle 
in  the  cathedral  of  Prato,  and  ordain  that  from  time  to  time  it 
should  be  shown  to  the  people.  This  injunction  Uberto  obeyed,  and 
he  carried  the  girdle  in  a  solemn  procession  to  the  church.  There  it 
remained  until  1312,  when  an  attempt  was  made  to  carry  it  away 
and  sell  it  to  Florence.  This  attempt  was  discovered,  and  Muscia- 
tino,  the  would-be  thief,  was  put  to  death.  Then  the  people  of  Prato 
erected  a  shrine  for  the  safe  keeping  of  the  girdle ;  and  the  chapel 
containing  it  is  painted  to  represent  all  the  circumstances  of  this 
legend. 

T/ie  Coronation  of  the  Virgin  is  not  always  easily  distinguished  from 
the  allegorical  picture  called  the  "  Incoronata."  When  the  historical 
scene  is  intended,  the  last  of  the  life  of  ^lary,  the  death-bed,  the 
tomb,  the  Apostles,  and  weeping  friends  are  seen  on  the  earth,  while 
above  the  Saviour  crowns  his  Mother,  or  she  is  seated  beside  him  on 
his  throne. 

Having  thus  briefly  considered  the  historical  pictures  of  Our 
Lady,  the  mystical,  allegorical,  or  strictly  devotional  ones  remain. 
These  are  :  —  "* 

The  Virgin  Alone  (Lat.  Virgo  Gloriosa ;  Ital.  La  Vergine  Gloriosa; 
Fr.  La  Grande  Vierge).  Pictures  representing  the  Virgin  Mary 
alone,  and  placing  her  before  us  as  an  object  of  religious  veneration, 
are  painted  in  a  variety  of  ways,  and  to  illustrate  the  diflerent 
attributes  which  are  accorded  to  her  by  the  Church.     When   she 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.        '  209 

stands  alone,  with  saints  or  apostles  apparently  subordinate  to  her, 
she  is  The  Woman  ;  the  Mother  of  Humanity,  a  second  Eve ;  and 
the  Virgin  of  Virgins.  When  she  has  a  book,  she  is  the  represen- 
tation of  Heavenly  Wisdom,  —  Virgo  Sapientissima.  When  she 
has  a  sceptre,  or  wears  a  crown  over  her  veil,  or  is  enthroned  alone, 
she  is  the  Queen  of  Heaven,  —  Regina  Cceli.  When  represented 
as  above,  and  sun-ounded  by  worshipping  angels,  she  is  Queen  of 
Angels,  —  Regina  Angelorum.  When  veiled,  with  folded  hands, 
and  a  face  full  of  purity,  sweetness,  and  all  imaginable  beauty,  she  is 
the  Madonna,  the  Blessed  Virgin,  —  Santa  Maria  Vo'gine. 

V Incoronata,  —  The  Coronation  of  the  Virgin  {Lot.  Coronatio  Beatae 
Marise  Virginis ;  Ital.  Maria  Coronata  dal  divin  suo  Figiio ;  Fr.  Le 
Couronnement  de  la  Sainte  Vierge ;  Ger.  Die  Krbnung  Maria).  This 
jDicture  is  entirely  different  in  its  spirit  and  object  from  the  historical 
coronation  of  the  Virgin  before  described.  That  picture  makes  the 
closing  scene  in  the  life  of  Mary,  and,  as  before  remarked,  has  the 
Apostles,  the  tomb  of  flowers,  and  the  death-bed  to  distinguish  it. 
But  the  intent  of  the  devotional  coronation  is  to  represent  the  Virgin 
as  the  type  or  emblem  of  the  Spiritual  Church.  She  is  received  into 
glory  and  exalted  above  all  created  beings,  angels  and  men,  as 
the  Espoused,  the  Bride  of  Christ,  —  the  Church.  Frequently  the 
Saviour  has  an  open  book  with  the  inscription,  "  Veni,  Electa  mea, 
et  ponam  te  in  thronum  meum,"  etc.,  —  **  Come,  my  Chosen  One,  and 
I  will  place  thee  upon  my  throne."  Many  chapels  are  dedicated  to 
the  Virgin  in  this  character,  "Capella  dell'  Incoronata."  The  dress 
of  the  Virgin  is  most  beautiful,  and  frequently  embroidered  with 
sans,  moons,  and  golden  rays,  recalling  the  "  woman  clothed  with  the 
sun,"  which  John  describes  (Rev.  xii.  1).  When  Mary  holds  the 
child  and  is  crowned,  it  is  not  a  coronation,  but  a  representation  of 
her  as  the  Mother  of  God. 

Our  Lady  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  (Lat.  Regina  sine  labe 
originali  concepta ;  Fr.  La  Conception  de  la  Vierge  Marie ;  Ital.  La 
Madonna  Purissima ;  *S;:>.  Nuestra  Sefiora  sin  pecado  concebida.  La 
Concepcion ;  Ger.  Das  Geheimniss  der  unbefleckten  Empfangniss 
Maria).  This  picture  is  unknown  in  the  early  days  of  art,  but  has 
been  almost  miraculously  multiplied  since  the  beginning  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  when  Paul  V.  instituted  the  office  for  the  com- 
memoration of  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Virgin,  and  forbade 

14 


210  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

teaching  or  preacliing  the  oi)posite  belief.  The  question  had  been 
in  agitation  a  decade  of  centuries,^  and  in  the  fifteenth  century  the 
Sorbonne  liad  dechired  in  its  f\ivor.  The  Immaculate  Conception  of 
the  Mother  of  God  was  defined  as  an  article  of  faith  by  Pope  Pius  IX. 
in  1854.  Tlie  model  for  the  Virgin  in  this  representation  is  the  wo- 
man of  the  Apocalypse.  She  is  young,  about  twelve  or  fourteen  ; 
her  robe  of  wliite,  with  blue  mantle;  her  hands  folded  as  if  in  prayer; 
her  beauty,  "  all  that  painting  can  express ; "  the  sun,  a  vivid  light, 
about  her,  the  moon  beneatli  her,  and  a  starry  crown  above  her 
head.  Sometimes  the  same  idea  of  the  Madonna  Purissima  is  repre- 
sented by  the  head  alone.  It  is  painted  very  young,  with  white 
vesture  and  flowing  hair.  Before  the  definition  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
Immaculate  Conception,  there  was  another  mystical  representation 
of  Mary,  which  might  be  confounded  with  those  of  the  Madonna 
Purissima.  It  is  the  embodiment  of  the  idea  that  the  redemption 
of  the  human  race  existed  in  the  mind  of  tlie  Creator  before  the 
beginning  of  the  world.  And  tliis  is  expressed  by  the  Virgin  sur- 
rounded by  the  same  attributes  as  in  the  Conception,  and  sometimes 
setting  her  foot  on  the  serpent.  Mary,  made  thus  a  second  Eve,  is 
sometimes  painted  as  an  accompaniment  to  the  picture  of  Eve  hold- 
ing the  apple.  The  date  of  the  picture  will  decide  the  question 
between  tliese  subjects.     December  8. 

The  Mater  Dolorosa  {Ital.  La  Madre  di  Dolore,  L'Addolorata ;  Fr, 
Notre  Dame  de  Piti6,  La  Vierge  de  Douleur ;  Sp.  Nuestra  Senora  de 
Dolores;  Cer.  Die  Schmerzhafte  Mutter).  There  are  three  distinct 
modes  of  representing  the  "  Mourning  Mother,"  to  whom  the  afflicted 
of  the  Catholic  world  address  their  prayers,  feeling  that  she  has  felt 
tlie  deepest  pangs  of  earthly  sorrow.  As  the  Mater  Dolorosa,  she  is 
alone,  seated  or  standing,  and  frequently  only  a  head  or  half  figure; 
of  middle  age,  with  bowed  head,  clasped  hands,  sorrowful  fiice,  and 
streaming  eyes.  Often  the  bosom  is  pierced  with  one,  and  sometimes 
with  seven  swords.  As  the  Stabat  Mater,  she  stands  on  the  ri«dit 
of  the  cnicifix  while  St.  John  is  on  the  left.  The  wliole  figure  ex- 
presses intense  sorrow.  She  is  usually  wrapped  in  a  dark  violet  or 
blue  mantle.  La  Pieth,  the  third  Sorrowing  Mother,  when  strictly 
rendered,  consists  only  of  the  Virgin  and   the  dead   Christ.     Occa- 

^  Tliough,  for  the  honor  of  her  Son,  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  was  generally  believed  from  the  beginning. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  211 

sionally  lamenting  angels  are  introduced.  This  representation  has 
been  varied  in  every  possible  way  whicli  could  express  sorrow,  resig- 
nation, tenderness,  love,  and  dignity.  But  usually  the  Son  is  in  the 
arms,  on  the  lap,  or  lying  at  the  feet  of  the  Mother. 

21ie  Virgin  of  Mercy,  Our  Lady  of  Succor  {Ital.  La  Madonna  di 
Misericordia ;  Fr.  Notre  Dame  de  Mis^ricorde ;  Sp.  Nuestra  Sefiora 
de  Gracia ;  Ger.  Maria  Mutter  des  Erbarmens).  This  picture  repre- 
sents the  Virgin  as  the  Merciful  Mother  of  Humanity.  In  it  she 
sometimes  stands  with  outstretched  arms,  crowned  or  veiled  ;  her 
ample  robe  extended  by  angels,  over  kneeling  votaries  and  wor- 
shippers. Sometimes  these  embrace  all  ranks  and  ages,  and  again 
those  of  some  particular  order  who  seek  her  aid.  But  these  instances 
are  rare,  as  she  usually  bears  the  child  in  her  arms,  signifying  that 
from  her  maternity  itself  a  large  portion  of  her  sympathy  is  derived. 
In  pictures  of  the  Day  of  Judgment,  the  Virgin  is  also  represented 
as  Our  Lady  of  Mercy.  She  is  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Saviour, 
while  John  the  Baptist  kneels  on  the  left.  Mary  is  usually  a  little 
lower  than  the  Saviour,  but  has  been  represented  in  ancient  pictures 
seated  by  his  side.  She  appears  as  a  mediator  and  intercessor  for 
mercy,  whatever  her  position.  In  one  instance  this  inscription  is 
painted  beneath  her :  "  Maria  Filio  suo  pro  Ecclesia  supplicat." 

The  Virgin  and  Child  Enthroned  [Lat.  Sancta  Dei  Genitrix,  Virgo 
Deipara ;  Ital.  La  Santissima  Vergine,  Madre  di  Dio  ;  Fr.  La  Sainte 
Vierge,  Mere  de  Dieu ;  Ger.  Die  Heilige  Mutter  Gottes).  The  very 
title  of  these  pictures,  which  are  numberless,  explains  their  significa- 
tion. They  are  devotional,  and  represent  the  mother  and  child  in 
various  positions,  and  with  such  differences  of  expression  and  senti- 
ment as  must  inevitably  result  from  the  vast  number  of  artists  who 
have  treated  this  subject.  Its  beauties  are  inexhaustible  as  they 
are  indescribable,  and  there  are  few  hearts  that  have  not  been  filled 
with  emotion  and  admiration  by  some  of  these  representations  of 
what  is  j)urest  and  holiest  in  woman. 

In  addition  to  the  IMadonnas  already  mentioned,  there  are  numer- 
ous votive  Madonnas  both  public  and  private.  Their  titles  usually 
indicate  the  objects  for  wdiich  they  were  painted,  as  those  painted 
for  the  Carmelites,  which  are  called  "La  Madonna  del  Carmine." 
Others  denote  especial  acts,  as  "  La  Madonna  della  Vittoria,"  or  de- 
liverance from  dangers,  such  as  pestilence,  floods,  fire,  and  tempests, 


212  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

as  the  "  Madonna  di  San  Scbastiauo,"  which  was  an  offering  of  the 
city  of  Modeua  against  the  ])lague.  P'amily  votive  Madonnas  usu- 
ally bear  the  name  of  those  who  offer  them,  as  the  "  ^ladonna  di 
Foligno,"  which  was  presented  by  Sigismund  Couti,  of  Foligni,  in 
fulfilment  of  a  vow  made  when  in  danger  from  a  severe  storm. 
There  is  scarcely  a  church  or  a  religious  institution  of  the  Catholic 
Church  which  does  not  possess  at  least  one  votive  Madonna. 

The  Mater  Amabilis  {Hal.  La  Madonna  col  Bambino;  Fr.  La 
Yierge  et  I'eufant  Jesus;  Ger.  Muria  mit  dem  Kind).  This  is  the 
representation  of  the  Virgin  as  The  Mother  alone;  and  its  exquisite 
beauty  and  feeling,  when  painted  as  it  should  and  may  be,  is  only  to 
he  felt,  it  cannot  be  told.  Here  "she  is  brought  nearer  to  our  sym- 
pathies. She  is  not  seated  in  a  chair  of  state  with  the  accompani- 
ments of  earthly  power;  she  is  not  enthroned  on  clouds,  nor  glorified 
and  star-crowned  in  heaven  ;  she  is  no  longer  so  exclusively  the 
Yergine  Dea,  nor  the  Yirgo  Dei  Genitrix  ;  but  she  is  still  the 
Alma  Mater  Redemptoris,  the  young  and  lovely  and  most  pure 
mother  of  a  divine  Christ.  She  is  not  sustained  in  mid-air  by  angels; 
she  dwells  lowly  on  earth,  but  the  angels  leave  their  celestial  home 
to  wait  upon  her."  A  version  of  this  Madonna  is  styled  the  "  Mad  re 
Pia,"  and  represents  the  Yirgin  as  acknowledging  the  divinity  of  her 
Son.  The  spirit  of  these  pictures  is  the  same  as  that  of  some 
^Nativities  where  the  Yirgin  adores  the  babe,  but  the  accessories 
determine  the  difference  between  them.  And  lastly  there  are  the 
Pastoral  Madonnas,  in  which  numerous  persons,  such  as  the  relatives 
of  the  Yirgin  or  St.  Joseph,  the  saints  and  holy  personages,  are  in- 
troduced as  participating  with  the  Yirgin  in  the  adoration  of  the 
child. 

La  Madonna  della  Sedia.  The  pretty  and  poetical  legend  of  this 
famous  picture  relates  that  centuries  ago  there  dwelt  among  the 
Italian  hills  a  venerable  hermit,  whom  the  people  called  Father  Ber- 
nardo. He  was  renowned  for  wisdom  and  holiness,  and  many  visited 
him  for  advice  and  consolation.  He  often  remarked  that  though  his 
solitude  was  deep,  yet  he  was  not  entirely  alone,  for  he  had  two 
daughters,  one  that  spoke  to  him  and  one  that  was  dumb.  Now  the 
first  was  the  daughter  of  a  vine-dresser,  named  Mary,  who  dearly 
loved  the  old  man  and  often  brought  him  little  presents  of  such 
things  as  would  add  to  his  comfort;   while  she  cheered  him  with 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  213 

loving  words  and  caresses.  But  his  dumb  daughter  was  a  "  brave  old 
oak,"  that  grew  uear  his  hut  and  sheltered  it  with  its  branches.  This 
tree  old  Bernardo  greatly  loved,  and  in  the  heat  of  summer  he  brought 
water  to  its  thirsty  roots,  and  tended  and  talked  to  it  as  if  it  could 
hear  and  feel.  At  morning  and  evening  he  fed  the  birds  which  lived 
in  its  branches,  and  in  return  was  cheered  by  their  songs.  Many 
times  some  woodman  had  desired  to  cut  down  this  oak,  but  the 
prayers  of  the  old  man  deterred  him  from  the  deed.  There  came 
at  last  a  terrible  winter  when  the  mountains  were  laden  with  heavy 
snow,  and  then  the  sun  shone  warm,  and  fearful  freshets  came  down 
like  torrents,  and  swept  away  flocks  and  trees  and  even  hamlets  in 
their  course.  After  the  worst  had  subsided,  Mary  and  her  father 
went  to  see  how  it  had  fared  with  the  good  hermit,  fearing  that  he 
had  perished.  But  his  dumb  daughter  had  saved  his  life ;  for  when 
the  thaw  came  on  he  had  sought  the  roof  of  his  hut,  but  he  was  soon 
convinced  that  there  was  no  safety  for  him  there ;  and  as  he  lifted 
his  eyes  in  prayer  it  seemed  that  the  limbs  of  the  oak  beckoned  him 
to  come  to  them.  Then  he  climbed  with  confidence  among:  its 
branches,  and  there  he  stayed  three  days.  While  below  him  his  hut 
and  everything  else  was  swept  away,  still  his  dumb  daughter  stood 
firm.  But  he  only  had  a  few  dry  crusts  to  eat ;  and  when  Mary  arrived 
he  was  fainting  and  ready  to  die  from  cold  and  exposure.  Then  this 
talking  daughter  comforted  him,  and  took  him  to  her  home  until  his 
hut  could  be  rebuilt.  And  now  with  great  fervor* Bernardo  thanked 
God  for  his  preservation,  and  called  down  blessings  upon  his  two 
children  who  had  both  been  instruments  in  his  deliverance;  and  he 
prayed  God  to  distinguish  them  in  some  way  from  the  other  works 
of  his  hand.  Years  passed  on,  and  the  hermit  was  laid  to  rest ;  his 
hut  was  in  ruins  forever,  and  the  oak  was  converted  into  wine-casks 
for  Mary's  father.  One  day,  one  of  these  casks  was  in  an  arbor  where 
Mary,  now  a  wife  and  mother,  sat  with  her  two  boys.  As  she 
pressed  her  baby  to  her  breast  and  watched  the  elder  one  at  play, 
she  thought  of  the  old  hermit,  and  wondered  if  his  blessing  would 
ever  be  fulfilled  in  her  or  these  children.  Just  then  the  older  child 
ran  towards  her  with  a  stick  to  which  he  had  fastened  a  cross ;  and 
at  the  same  time  a  young  man  approached,  whose  large  dreamy  eyes 
were  such  as  feast  on  beauty,  but  his  air  was  that  of  one  restless 
and  weary.     And  so  he  was ;  for  he  had  long  been  seeking  a  model 


214  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

which  could  be  used  to  assist  liiin  in  painting  a  picture  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  and  her  .Son  which  floated  before  liis  vision,  just  real  enough 
to  haunt  his  thoughts  continually,  and  just  unreal  enough  to  refuse 
to  be  rendered  by  his  brush.  This  was  Raphael  Sanzio  d'Urbino. 
;Now  at  last,  as  he  gazed  on  Mary,  the  wish  of  his  heart  was  realized. 
But  he  had  only  a  pencil!  On  what  could  he  draw?  Just  then  the 
smooth  cover  of  the  huge  wine-cask  presented  itself  to  him,  and 
eagerly  he  drew  upon  it  the  outlines  of  Mary  and  her  babe.  This 
he  took  away  with  him,  and  rested  not  till  with  his  very  soul  he  had 
painted  his  wondrous  "Madonna  della  Sedia."  Thus  was  the  bless- 
ing and  desire  of  the  old  monk  realized,  and  together  his  two  daughters 
were  distinirnished  for  all  time. 

St.  Marcella  is  represented  with  Lazarus  and  his  sisters.  All  that 
is  known  of  her  is  that  she  accompanied  these  saints  from  the  East, 
wrote  the  life  of  Martha,  and  announced  the  Faith  in  Sclavonia. 

St.  Marcellinus.     See  St.  Peter  Exorcista. 

St.  Margaret  {Ital.  S.  Margarita;  Fr.  Ste.  Marguerite;  Cer. 
Die  lleilige  Margaretha ;  Gr.  "Ay.  MapyapLT7)<; :  signification,  "a 
pearl").  This  saint  was  the  daughter  of  a  pagan  priest  of  Antioch. 
She  w^as  a  delicate  child,  and  was  therefore  sent  to  a  nurse  in  the 
country.  This  woman  was  a  Christian,  and  brought  Margaret  up  in 
her  own  faith.  She  was  seen  one  day  by  Olybrius,  who  was  governor 
of  Antioch  ;  and  her  beauty  so  impressed  him  that  he  commanded 
she  should  be  brought  to  his  palace,  and  he  determined  to  marry  her 
if  he  should  find  that  she  was  free  born.  But  Margaret  declared  her- 
self a  Christian,  to  the  great  horror  of  the  governor  and  her  relatives. 
The  latter  deserted  her,  and  Olybrius  attempted  to  subdue  her  by 
torments  of  so  fearful  a  nature  that  he  could  not  endure  the  sight  of 
her  agony.  Still  she  yielded  not.  She  was  then  imprisoned,  and  in 
her  dungeon  Satan  ai)peared  to  her  in  the  shape  of  a  hideous  dragon, 
and  endeavored  to  confound  her  with  fear.  But  Margaret  held  up 
a  cross  and  he  fled  from  her;  or  (as  another  legend  teaches)  he 
swallowed  her,  and  instantly  burst  asunder,  and  she  remained  un- 
hurt, lie  then  came  in  the  form  of  a  man,  to  tempt  her  still  further ; 
but  she  overcame  him,  and  j)laced  her  foot  upon  his  head,  and  com- 
pelled him  to  confess  liis  vile  purpose  and  to  answer  her  questions. 
Again  she  was  taken  before  the  governor  and  tortured  ;  but  her  firm- 
ness was  so  great  that  she  not  only  remained  true  to  Christ  herself, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  215 

but  she  converted  many  who  witnessed  her  devotion,  so  that  in  one 
day  five  thousand  converts  were  baptized.  Then  it  was  determined 
that  she  should  be  beheaded  ;  and  as  they  led  her  away  to  death  she 
prayed  that  in  memory  of  her  deliverance  from  the  womb  of  the 
dragon,  all  who  called  on  her  in  childbirth  should  be  safely  delivered, 
and  a  heavenly  voice  assured  her  that  her  prayer  should  be  granted. 

The  attributes  of  Margaret  are  the  palm  and  the  dragon.  She  is 
young  and  girlish,  and  is  thus  easily  distinguished  from  St.  Martha, 
who  also  has  the  dragon.  Sometimes  she  has  pearls  around  her  head, 
and  rarely  the  daisy  or  marguerite,  which  is  so  named  in  memory  of 
her.     She  is  especially  the  tj^pe  of  maiden  innocence  and  humility. 

**  Si  douce  est  la  Marguerite." 

In  the  picture  by  Lucas  v.  Leyden,  she  is  rising  from  the  back  of 
the  dragon,  while  a  piece  of  her  robe  remaining  in  his  mouth  indicates 
that  he  had  swallowed  her.  She  is  the  patroness  of  women  in  child- 
birth, and  patroness  of  Cremona.     July  20,  a.  d.  306. 

St.  Margaret  of  Cortona,  whose  church  is  on  the  highest  part 
of  the  hill  upon  which  that  city  is  built,  was  the  Magdalene  of  that 
locality.  She  was  born  in  Alviano  in  Tuscany.  Her  mother  died 
when  she  was  still  in  infancy,  and  the  cruelty  of  a  step-mother  and 
the  unkindness  of  her  father  drove  her  to  desperation,  and  she  led 
an  evil  life  for  several  years.  One  of  her  lovers  was  assassinated 
when  returning  from  a  visit  to  her.  A  little  dog  which  was  with 
him  returned  to  Margaret,  and  attempted  to  lead  her  to  the  body  of 
his  master,  by  pulling  at  her  robe  and  piteously  whining.  Wonder- 
ing at  length  that  her  lover  returned  not,  she  went  with  the  dog, 
and  was  horrified  to  find  the  murdered  body  of  him  she  sought. 
She  was  overcome  with  terror  and  repentance,  and  went  to  her 
father's  house.  But  the  step-mother  persuaded  her  father  to  refuse 
to  admit  her.  She  then  retired  to  a  vineyard  near  by,  and  here  in 
her  lonely  wretchedness  she  was  tempted  to  return  to  her  sinful  life. 
But  she  prayed  God  to  be  to  her  more  than  all  earthly  friends  could 
be,  and  while  so  praying  she  had  a  revelation  that  her  prayer  was 
answered,  and  she  was  directed  to  go  to  the  Franciscan  convent  at 
Cortona.  This  she  did,  and  entering  barefooted  and  with  a  cord 
about  her  neck,  she  threw  herself  before  the  altar  and  begged  to  be 
admitted  to   the   order   as  a  humble   penitent.     She   was  refused 


216  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

this  privilege  until  she  should  prove  her  penitence  by  a  more  wor- 
thy life.  But  at  length  she  took  the  habit  of  St.  Francis  in  1272. 
Tradition  relates  that  as  she  knelt  one  day  before  the  crucifix,  Christ 
bowed  his  head  in  answer  to  her  prayers,  and  from  that  time  she  was 
held  in  great  reverence  by  the  people  of  Cortona.  She  is  painted 
young  and  beautiful,  her  dress  not  always  that  of  the  nun,  but  usu- 
ally with  the  cord  for  a  girdle,  which  indicates  the  Third  Order  of 
St.  Francis.  Her  attribute  is  a  dog,  which  is  seldom  omitted. 
February  22,  a.  d.   1297. 

Santa  Maria  Maddalena  de'  Pazzi  was  of  the  noble  Floren- 
tine family  whose  name  she  bears.  She  was  a  Carmelite  nun.  Her 
life  was  one  of  extreme  sanctity  and  humility,  yet  comparatively 
uneventful.     May  27,  a.  d.  1607. 

Maria  Maggiore,  Santa.  This  splendid  church  at  Rome  is 
said  to  owe  its  origin  to  a  vision  related  in  a  legend  called  that 
"of  the  Snow,"  —  in  Italian,  "della  Neve."  Giovanni  Patricio,  a 
Homan  who  was  rich  and  childless,  prayed  the  Virgin  to  direct  him 
how  he  should  dispose  of  his  wealth.  On  the  5th  of  August,  a.  d.  352, 
Mary  came  to  him  in  a  dream,  and  commanded  him  to  build  a 
church  in  her  name  on  the  spot  w^here  he  should  find  snow  the  next 
morning.  His  wife  and  the  Pope  Liberius  each  had  the  same  vis- 
ion ;  and  early  next  day  they  all  went  to  the  Esquiline,  where  they 
found  miraculous  snow,  in  spite  of  the  heat  of  the  season.  Liberius 
traced  upon  it,  with  his  crosier,  the  plan  of  the  church,  and  here  the 
church  was  built.  Murillo  painted  two  beautiful  pictures  of  this 
legend,  called,  in  Spanish,  S.  Maria  la  Blanca. 

St.  Marina.  The  sad  story  of  this  saint  presents  a  touching 
illustration  of  self-sacrifice  and  unbounded  humility,  for  which  she 
was  greatly  revered.  Her  father  was  an  Eastern  hermit ;  and  when 
he  first  went  to  the  desert  he  so  longed  for  his  daughter  whom 
he  had  left,  that  he  dressed  her  in  male  attire,  and  charged  her 
never  to  reveal  her  sex.  He  then  took  her  with  him  to  his  retreat, 
and  there  she  grew  up  as  Brother  Marinus.  She  was  frequently 
sent  to  the  shores  of  the  Red  Sea  with  a  wagon  and  oxen  to  get  sup 
plies  for  the  monks.  The  man  to  whom  she  went  had  a  daughter 
who  was  found  to  be  with  child,  and  who  wickedly  accused  Marinus 
of  being  her  seducer.  Marina  did  not  deny  the  charge,  and  the 
abbot  ordered  her  to  be  scourged  and  driven  out  of  the  walls  of 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  217 

the  monastery;  and  the  wicked  woman  came  with  her  child,  and 
putting  it  in  the  arms  of  Marina,  said,  "  There,  as  you  are  its  father, 
take  care  of  it."  Then  Marina  cared  for  the  child.  She  remained 
outside  the  gate  of  the  convent  and  begged  a  support,  which  was 
given  her  with  many  insults,  as  to  a  vile  sinner.  But  when  she 
died  and  the  truth  was  discovered,  there  was  great  mourning  on 
account  of  all  she  had  endured,  and  she  was  honored  for  her 
humility.  She  is  represented  with  the  dress  of  a  monk  and  the 
face  of  a  beautiful  woman,  with  a  child  in  her  arms.  June  18. 
Eighth  century. 

St.  Mark  {Lat  S.  Marcus;  Ital.  San  Marco  Evangelista;  Fr, 
St.  Marc ;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Marcus).  This  Evangelist  was  not  an 
apostle,  but  a  convert  and  beloved  disciple  of  St.  Peter,  according  to 
the  tradition  of  the  Catholic  Church.  He  journeyed  with  Peter  even 
to  Eome,  where  he  wrote  his  Gospel ;  and  many  believe  it  to  have 
been  dictated  by  St.  Peter.  He  went  afterwards  to  preach  in  Egypt, 
and  after  spending  twelve  years  in  Libya  and  the  Thebais,  he  founded 
the  church  at  Alexandria.  On  account  of  his  miracles  the  heathen 
accused  him  of  being  a  magician ;  and  at  length,  when  celebrating 
the  feast  of  their  god  Serapis,  they  seized  St.  Mark  and  dragged 
him  through  the  streets  with  cords  until  he  died.  Then  imme- 
diately there  fell  a  storm  of  hail,  and  a  tempest  of  lightning  came 
with  it  which  destroyed  his  murderers.  The  Christians  buried  his 
remains,  and  his  tomb  was  greatly  venerated.  But  in  a.  d.  815 
some  Venetian  merchants  despoiled  the  tomb  of  its  sacred  relics, 
and  took  them  to  Venice,  where  the  splendid  cathedral  of  San 
Marco  was  erected  over  them.  There  are  many  legends  of  this 
saint  which  have  afforded  subjects  for  representations  in  art.  One 
day  as  he  walked  in  Alexandria,  it  is  said  that  he  saw  a  poor  cobbler 
who  had  wounded  his  hand  so  severely  with  an  awl  that  he  could  no 
longer  support  himself.  St.  Mark  healed  the  wound,  and  the  man, 
who  was  called  Anianus,  was  converted  and  afterwards  became  Bishop 
of  Alexandria.  The  famous  legend  of  the  preservation  of  Venice  is 
thus  related:  It  was  on  the  25th  of  February  in  1340.  The 
waters  had  been  rising  for  three  days ;  and  on  this  night  there  was 
a  fearful  storm,  and  the  height  of  the  w^ater  was  three  cubits  more 
than  ever  before.  An  old  fisherman  with  difficulty  reached  the 
Riva   di  San    Marco  with   his   little  boat,   and   determined  to  wait 


218  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

there  for  the  ceasing  of  the  tempest.  But  there  came  to  him  a 
man  who  entreated  him  to  row  him  over  to  San  Giorgio  Maggiore. 
After  great  persuasion,  the  fisherman,  believing  it  to  be  the  will  of 
God,  consented.  Having  arrived  at  San  Giorgio,  the  stranger  landed 
and  commanded  the  fisherman  to  await  his  return.  The  former  came 
back  bringing  with  him  a  young  man,  and  told  him  to  row  again  to 
San  Niccolo  di  Lido.  The  fisherman  doubted  his  ability  to  do  this ; 
but  his  passengers  assured  him  he  might  row  boldly,  and  strength 
would  be  given  him.  They  came  at  last  to  San  Niccolo  di  Lido,  where 
the  two  men  landed.  When  they  returned  to  the  shore  there  was  a 
third  one  also.  They  ordered  the  fisherman  to  row  beyond  the  two 
castles.  AVhen  they  came  to  the  sea,  they  saw  a  barque  filled  with 
frightful  demons  rapidly  approaching.  These  were  coming  to  over- 
whelm the  city  with  water.  Then  the  three  men  in  the  boat  made 
the  sign  of  the  cross  and  bade  the  demons  depart.  Instantly  the 
barque  vanished,  the  sea  became  calm,  and  the  watei*s  began  to 
subside.  Then  the  men  commanded  the  boatman  to  land  them  at 
the  places  whence  they  had  come.  He  did  -so,  but  in  spite  of  the 
great  wonder  he  had  seen  he  demanded  of  the  third  that  he  should 
pay  him.  Then  the  man  replied:  "Thou  art  right;  go  now  to  the 
Doo^e  and  to  the  Procurator!  of  St.  Mark  ;  tell  them  what  thou  hast 
seen,  for  Venice  would  have  been  overwhelmed  had  it  not  been  for 
us  three.  I  am  St.  Mark  the  Evangelist,  the  protector  of  tliis  city ; 
the  other  is  the  brave  knight  St.  George  ;  and  he  whom  thou  didst 
take  up  at  the  Lido  is  the  holy  bishop  St.  Nicholas.  Say  to  the 
Doge  and  to  the  Procuratori  that  they  are  to  pay  you  ;  and  tell  them 
likewise  that  this  tempest  arose  because  of  a  certain  schoolmaster 
dwelling  at  San  Felice,  who  did  sell  his  soul  to  the  devil  and  after- 
wards hanged  himself."  The  fisherman  answered  that  his  story 
would  not  be  believed.  Then  St.  Mark  took  from  his  finger  a  ring, 
and  gave  it  to  the  man,  saying,  "Show  them  this,  and  tell  them 
when  they  look  in  the  sanctuary  they  will  not  find  it."  And  lie 
disa])peared.  The  next  morning  the  fisherman  did  as  he  had  been 
commanded.  It  proved  as  he  had  been  told,  and  the  ring  was  not 
found.  Then  the  man  was  paid,  a  procession  was  ordained  with 
great  solemnity,  and  the  citizens  gave  thanks  to  God  and  the  three 
saints  for  their  miraculous  di'liverance.  The  fisherman  received  a 
pension,  and  the  ring  was  given  to  the  Procuratori,  who  replaced  it 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  219 

in  the  sanctuary.  Another  legend  relates  that  a  certain  slave  whose 
muster  resided  in  Provence,  persisted  in  going  to  the  shrine  of  St. 
Mark  to  pray,  for  which  he  was  condemned  to  be  tortured.  As  the 
sentence  was  about  to  be  executed,  St.  Mark  descended  to  save  his 
votary.  The  executioners  were  confounded,  and  the  instruments  of 
torture  broken  and  made  unfit  for  use.  The  tradition  which  makes 
St.  Mark  the  amanuensis  of  St.  Peter  is  frequently  illustrated  in 
paintings.  The  attribute  of  St.  Mark  is  the  lion,  either  witli  or 
without  the  wings,  but  generally  with  them.  This  enables  one  to 
distinguish  him  from  St.  Jerome,  who  has  the  lion  un winged.  He 
often  wears  the  robes  of  a  bishop.     April  25,  a.  d.  G8. 

St.  Martha  (7^^/.  Santa  Marta,  Vergiue,  Albergutrice  di  Christo; 
Fr.  Ste.  Marthe,  la  Travailleuse).  St.  Martha  is  highly  venerated 
on  account  of  having  persuaded  her  sister  Mary  to  listen  to  the  words 
of  Jesus,  thus  becoming  the  instrument  of  her  conversion.  Tlie  old 
story  in  "  II  Perfetto  Legendario  "  goes  on  to  say  of  this,  "  Which 
thing  should  not  be  accounted  as  the  least  of  her  merits,  seeing  that 
Martha  was  a  chaste  and  prudent  virgin,  and  the  other  publicly 
contemned  for  her  evil  life ;  notwithstanding  which,  Martha  did  not 
despise  her,  nor  reject  her  as  a  sister,  Ijut  wept  for  her  shame,  and 
admonished  her  gently  and  with  persuasive  words,  and  reminded  her 
of  her  noble  birth,  to  which  she  was  a  disgrace,  and  that  Lazarus, 
their  brother,  being  a  soldier,  would  certainly  get  into  trouble  on  her 
account.  So  she  prevailed,  and  conducted  her  sister  to  the  presence 
of  Christ ;  and  afterwards,  as  it  is  well  known,  she  lodged  and  enter- 
tained the  Saviour  in  her  own  house."  The  Provengal  legends  relate 
that  Martha  was  the  first  who  founded  a  convent  for  her  own  sex, 
and  the  first  one  after  the  Blessed  Virgin  who  consecrated  her  virgin- 
ity to  God.  While  Mary  Magdalene  made  converts  in  Marseilles, 
Martha  made  known  the  Faith  at  Aix.  In  those  days  there  was 
a  fearful  dragon  who  inhabited  the  river  Rhone,  and  ravaged  the 
country  by  night.  He  was  called  the  Tarasque,  and  on  the  scene  of 
his  life  the  city  of  Tarascon  now  stands.  Xow  Martha  sprinkled  this 
monster  with  holy  water  and  bound  him  with  her  girdle,  and  then 
he  was  speedily  killed  by  the  people.  When  after  many  years  of 
labor,  death  approached,  she  desired  to  be  borne  to  some  spot  where 
she  could  see  the  sun  in  the  heavens.  She  wished  the  story  of  the 
Passion  of  Our  Lord  to  be  read  to  her;  and  as  she  died  she  said, 


220  LEGENDS  AXD  STORIES 

"  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit."  Her  attribute  is 
a  dragon  ;  and  she  may  be  known  from  St.  Margaret  by  the  pot  of 
holy  water,  while  the  latter  has  the  cross.  St.  Martha  also  bears 
SDmetimes  a  cooking  utensil.  Patroness  of  cooks  and  housewives. 
June  29,  a.  D.  84. 

St.  Martial  was  Bishop  of  Limoges.  St.  Valerie,  or  Valere,  was  a 
beautiful  virgin  who  was  converted  by  his  teaching.  She  refused  to 
listen  to  the  addresses  of  the  Duke  de  Guyenne.  This  so  enragi'd 
the  duke  that  he  "luy  fit  trancher  la  teste,  couronnant  sa  virginite 
d'un  martyre  bien  signale,  car  a  la  venue  d'un  chacun  elle  prit  sa 
teste,  et  la  porta  jusques  au  pied  de  I'Autel  ou  S.  Marcial  disect 
la  messe  ;  le  bourreau,  la  suivant  pas-a-pas,  mourut  dans  TEglise, 
aprcs  avoir  clairement  proteste  qu'il  voyoit  les  anges  a  I'entour  de 
son  corps."  This  legend  is  illustrated  in  the  cathedral  of  Limoges. 
She  is  represented  with  a  streak  around  the  neck.  Her  festival  is 
December  10. 

St.  Martin  of  Tours  {Lat.  S.  Martinus;  /tal.  San  Martino) 
was  one  of  tlie  most  popular  saints  of  the  Middle  Ages.  He  was 
born  at  Saberia,  in  Pannonia,  in  the  time  of  Constantine  the  Great ; 
and  tradition  relates  that  on  one  occasion  the  Empress  Helena,  who 
was  the  daughter  of  a  wealthy  lord  of  Caernarvonshire,  prepared  for 
him  a  supper  with  her  own  hands,  and  waited  on  him  while  he  ate 
it,  like  tiie  humblest  servant ;  and  at  the  end  gathered  up  the 
cruml)s,  esteeming  them  more  precious  than  any  meal  she  could 
eat  at  the  emperor's  board.  From  a  child  St.  ^Martin  was  of  a 
religious  disposition,  but  he  became  a  sc^ldier  before  he  was  bap- 
tized. In  the  army  he  won  the  love  and  respect  of  his  comrades, 
by  the  great  excellences  of  his  character  and  the  purity  of  his  life. 
He  was  especially  noted  for  his  benevolence  and  charity  to  the 
poor.  The  winter  of  332  was  so  severely  cold  that  large  numbers 
perished  in  the  streets  of  Amiens,  where  the  regiment  of  St.  Martin 
was  quartered.  One  day  he  met  at  the  gate  a  naked  man,  and  tak- 
ing ])ity  on  him  he  divided  his  cloak  (f(>r  it  was  all  he  had),  and  gave 
half  to  tlie  beggar.  That  night  in  a  dream  Jesus  stood  before  him, 
and  on  his  shoulders  he  wore  the  half  of  the  cloak  that  Martin  had 
given  the  beggar.  And  he  said  to  the  angels  who  attended  him, 
"Know  ye  who  hatli  tluis  arrayed  me?  My  servant  Martin,  though 
yet   unbaptized,   hath  done  this."      Then  Martin   was   immediately 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  221 

baptized ;  being  at  the  time  twenty-three  years  old.  At  forty  years 
of  age,  he  desired  to  leave  the  army  that  he  might  devote  all 
his  time  to  God's  service.  Then  the  legend  tells  that  Julian  the 
Apostate,  now  emperor,  accused  him  of  cowardice,  saying  that 
he  wished  to  be  dismissed  to  avoid  a  coming  battle.  But  Martin 
replied,  he  would  be  set  naked  in  the  front  of  the  fight,  armed  only 
with  the  cross,  and  not  fear  to  meet  the  enemy.  Then  the  emperor 
commanded  men  to  guard  him  and  see  that  this  was  done ;  but  be- 
fore the  time  of  battle  peace  was  made,  and  it  was  not  attempted. 
After  leading  a  religious  life  for  years  he  was  made  Bishop  of  Tours 
in  371.  He  did  many  miracles,  healing  the  sick,  and  even  restoring 
to  life  the  son  of  a  poor  widow.  One  day,  as  he  celebrated  mass  in 
his  cathedral,  he  asked  his  deacon  to  clothe  a  naked  beggar  before 
him.  The  deacon  did  not  comply  readily,  and  St.  Martin  took  off 
his  priestly  robe  and  gave  it  to  the  wretched  man ;  and  while  he 
officiated  at  the  altar  a  globe  of  fire  was  seen  above  his  head,  and  as 
he  elevated  the  Host,  his  arms  (being  exposed  on  account  of  the 
absence  of  the  garment)  were  covered,  by  a  miracle,  with  chains  of 
gold  and  silver,  which  angels  fastened  upon  them.  His  evenness  of 
temper  was  an  especial  virtue,  and  he  was  never  angry,  neither  spoke 
he  ever  unkindly.  In  spite  of  all,  he  was  often  greatly  tempted,  and 
Satan  one  day  ridiculed  him  because  he  so  soon  received  the  sinful 
who  repented.  St.  Martin  replied,  "  0  most  miserable  that  thou  art ! 
if  thou  also  couldst  cease  to  persecute  and  seduce  wretched  men,  if 
thou  also  couldst  repent,  thou  also  shouldst  find  mercy  and  forgive- 
ness through  Jesus  Christ ! "  It  is  due  to  the  wonderful  energy  of 
St.  Martin  that  paganism  was  rooted  out  of  that  portion  of  Gaul  in 
which  he  ruled  the  Church.  He  destroyed  temples,  demolished  the 
images  of  the  gods,  and  was  impervious  to  all  the  threats  and  dangers 
which  he  incurred  by  so  doing.  The  demons  whom  he  thus  dis- 
enthroned  often  appeared  to  him,  sometimes  in  hideous  forms  and 
again  with  all  the  beauty  of  Venus ;  but  he  overcame  all  fear  and  all 
temptation,  and  steadfastly  served  God.  At  length  he  wearied  of 
the  people  who  thronged  about  him,  and  he  built  himself  a  cell 
away  from  Tours,  between  the  rocks  and  tlie  Loire.  From  this  the 
monastery  of  Marmoutier  arose.  St.  Martin  not  only  opposed  hea- 
thenism, he  battled  against  blind  superstition  as  well.  There  was 
near  Tours  a  chapel  where  the  people  venerated  a  martyr,  as  they 


222  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

believed ;  but  Martin  thought  them  mistaken.  He  went  and  stood 
on  the  sepulchre,  and  prayed  that  it  might  be  revealed  to  him  if  any 
martyr  rested  there.  Soon  a  dark  form  appeared,  and  told  St.  Martin 
that  he  was  a  robber  whose  soul  was  in  hell,  and  whose  body  rested 
beneath  him,  where  he  stood.  Then  the  saint  destroyed  the  chapel 
and  altar,  as  he  did  those  of  the  pagans.  He  was  once  invited  to  sup 
M'ith  the  emperor.  The  cup  was  passed  to  Martin,  before  his  majesty 
drank,  with  the  expectation  that  he  would  touch  it  to  his  lips,  as  was 
the  custom.  But  a  poor  priest  stood  behind  Martin,  and  to  the  sur- 
prise and  admiration  of  all,  the  saint  presented  the  full  goblet  to 
him,  thus  signifying  that  a  servant  of  God  deserved  more  honor, 
however  humble  his  station,  than  any  merely  earthly  potentate. 
From  this  legend  he  has  been  chosen  the  patron  of  all  innocent  con- 
viviality. It  is  said  that  on  an  occasion  when  St.  Martin  sought  an 
interview  with  the  Emperor  Yalentinian,  his  majesty  did  not  rise 
from  his  chair  as  the  saint  approached,  whereupon  the  chair  took  fire 
beneath  him,  and  necessity  compelled  him  to  do  what  reverence  had 
no  power  to  effect.  This  unique  legend  has  been  represented  in  art. 
St.  Martin  died  after  being  bishop  more  than  thirty  years,  and  many 
heard  the  songs  of  the  angels  who  bore  him  to  Paradise.  From  the 
time  of  his  death  he  has  been  an  object  of  extreme  veneration.  In 
art  he  is  usually  represented  with  a  naked  beggar  at  his  feet.  A 
goose  when  introduced  alludes  to  the  season  of  his  feast,  which 
occurs  at  the  time  when  geese  are  eaten,  and  is  called,  in  Eng- 
land, Martinmas-tide.  In  France  this  festival  was  kept  like  the 
last  day  of  the  Carnival,  —  a  time  of  feasting.  November  11, 
A.  D.   397. 

St.  Martina  was  a  Roman  virgin.  A  church  dedicated  to  her 
stands  at  the  foot  of  the  Capitt)line  Hill.  It  is  on  the  left  as  we 
descend  to  the  Forum  from  the  Ara  Coeli.  Here  from  very  ancient 
times  there  was  a  chapel  where  the  people  venerated  this  saint,  who 
was  martyred  in  the  time  of  Alexander  Severus.  In  1G34,  when 
repairing  this  chapel,  a  sarcopliagus  was  discovered  built  into  the 
foundations,  wViich  contained  the  body  of  a  young  woman,  while  the 
head  was  in  a  separate  casket.  This,  being  regarded  as  the  body  of 
the  saint,  called  tlie  attention  of  all  Rome  to  the  place,  and  even  the 
pope  was  filled  with  enthusiasm  at  the  discovery.  Cardinal  Fran- 
cesco   Barberini  undertook   to   rebuild   the    church,  and    Pietro  da 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  223 

Cortoiia  very  solemnly  dedicated  his  talents  to  the  work  of  adorning 
the  same.  The  church  was  given  to  the  Academy  of  Painters,  and  con- 
secrated to  St,  Luke,  their  patron.  It  now  bears  the  name  of  "San 
Luca  e  Santa  Martina."  Pietro  da  Cortona  left  all  his  fortune  to  the 
chapel  of  St.  Martina,  which  he  himself  had  painted.  She  is  repre- 
sented as  young  and  beautiful,  with  different  instruments  of  torture, 
signifying  the  manner  of  her  death.     January  30. 

St.  Mary  of  Egypt  (Ital.  Santa  Maria  Egiziaca  Penitente ; 
Fr.  Ste.  Marie  I'Egyptienne,  La  Gipesienne,  La  Jussienne),  The 
legend  of  this  Mary  Egyptiaca  is  much  older  than  that  of  Mary 
Magdalene.  It  was  in  a  written  form,  and  fully  believed  in  the  sixth 
century;  for  a  very  ancient  tradition  stated  that  a  female  hermit  had 
dwelt  for  years  in  Palestine,  and  there  died.  The  legend  as  now 
given  rests  on  the  authority  of  St.  Jerome,  and  relates  that  a  woman 
named  Mary,  whose  wickedness  far  exceeded  that  of  the  Magdalene, 
dwelt  in  Alexandria.  After  seventeen  years  of  abandonment  to 
sin,  in  the  year  365,  as  she  walked  one  day  near  the  sea,  she  saw 
a  vessel  about  to  depart  well  filled  with  pilgrims.  On  inquiry  she 
found  that  they  were  going  to  Jerusalem  to  keep  the  feast  of  the 
true  cross.  She  was  seized  with  anxiety  to  go  also,  but  had  no 
money  to  pay  her  passage.  Then  she  sold  herself  to  the  sailors  and 
pilgrims,  and  so  accomplished  the  journey.  Arriving  at  Jerusalem, 
she  thought  to  enter  the  church  with  the  others;  but  when  she 
reached  the  entrance  some  invisible  power  held  her  so  that  she  could 
not  go  in,  and  as  often  as  she  tried  to  cross  the  threshold,  so  often 
was  she  driven  back.  Then  a  sense  of  all  her  sins  came  over  her, 
and  she  was  overcome  with  sorrow,  and  prayed  to  God  for  grace  and 
pardon;  whereupon  the  restraining  power  was  taken  away,  and  she 
entered  the  church  on  her  knees.  She  then  bought  three  loaves  of 
bread  and  went  into  the  desert,  even  beyond  Jordan.  Here  she 
remained  in  deepest  penitence.  She  drank  only  water,  and  subsisted 
on  roots  and  fruits,  and  her  three  loaves,  which  were  constantly 
renewed  by  a  miracle.  Her  clothing  wore  out  and  dropped  from 
her ;  then  she  prayed  God  to  clothe  her,  and  her  prayer  was  an- 
swered, for  her  hair  became  a  cloak  about  her,  or,  as  others  say,  a 
heavenly  robe  was  brought  her  by  an  angel.  She  had  lived  thus 
forty-seven  years  when  she  was  found  by  Zosimus,  a  priest.  She 
begged  him  to  keep  silence  concerning  her,  and  to  return  at  the  end 


224  LEOEXDS  AXD  STORIES 

of  a  year  and  bring  with  him  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  that  she  mi"'ht 
conless  her  sins  and  receive  communion  before  her  death.  Zosimus 
compHed  with  her  desires  and  returned  to  her  in  a  vear.  He  was 
not  able  to  cross  the  Jordan,  and  Mary  was  miraculously  assisted 
to  cross  to  him.  After  receiving  the  Sacrament  she  requested  iiim  to 
leave  her  again  to  her  solitary  life,  and  to  return  at  the  end  of  an- 
other year.  When  the  year  was  passed  and  he  went  again  to  meet 
her,  he  found  her  lying  dead,  with  her  hands  folded  as  in  prayer. 
And  upon  the  sands  these  words  were  written  :  "0,  Father  Zosimus, 
bury  the  body  of  the  poor  sinner,  Mary  of  Egypt!  Give  earth  to 
earth,  and  dust  to  dust,  for  Christ's  sake  ! "  When  he  endeavored  to 
do  this,  he  found  he  had  not  sufficient  strength,  for  he  was  an  old 
man.  Then  a  lion  came  and  assisted  him,  digging  with  his  paws; 
and  when  the  body  of  Mary  was  in  the  grave  the  lion  w^ent  quietly 
away  and  Zosimus  returned  home,  praising  God  for  the  mercy  he 
had  shown  to  the  penitent  woman.  She  is  represented  in  art  as  old, 
worn,  and  wasted,  with  long  hair,  and  three  loaves  of  bread  in  her 
hand.  When  united  with  Mary  Magdalene,  the  contrast  of  age, 
appearance,  and  dress  is  very  striking.  The  pictures  of  her  penance 
are  sometimes  mistaken  for  the  Magdalene ;  but  if  the  vase,  skull,  and 
crucifix  are  wanting,  it  is  the  Mary  of  Egypt,  A  chapel  in  the  church 
of  St.  Meiry  in  Paris  is  painted  with  scenes  from  her  life.  April  9, 
A.  D.  433. 

St.  Mary  Magdalene  {Lat  S.  Maria  Magdalena;  Fr.  La  Made- 
leine, La  Sainte  Demoiselle  pecheresse  ;  Ital.  Santa  Maria  Maddalena ; 
Sp.  Santa  Maria  Magdalena).  The  writings  which  would  fill  volumes, 
the  numberless  sermons  which  have  exhausted  the  talents  of  the 
preachers  and  the  patience  of  the  hearers,  the  learned  arguments  of 
tongue  and  pen,  and  the  wild,  imaginative  legends  which  have  each  and 
all  essayed  to  give  and  establish  the  truth  about  this  saint,  have  left 
her,  in  the  heart  of  the  world,  what  the  Gospel  alone  and  unaided 
makes  her,  — the  first  sinning  and  repenting  woman  forgiven  through 
the  love  of  Jesus,  a  glorious  beacon  of  hope,  shining  down  through  all 
ages,  silently  saying  to  all  other  Magdalenes,  "  Go  and  sin  no  more." 
It  has  never  been  decided  whether  she  was  differently  spoken  of  as 
"  Mary  of  Bethany,"  the  "  woman  who  was  a  sinner,"  and  she  "  out 
of  whom  Jesus  cast  seven  devils,"  or  whotlier  slio  was  but  one  of 
these ;  but  the  legend,  as  it  is  generally  represented  in  Western  art, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  225 

is  as  follows  :  Mary  Magdalene  was  the  daughter  of  noble,  if  not  royal 
parents,  and  the  sister  of  Martlia  and  Lazarus.  Syrus,  their  father, 
had  vast  riches,  and  at  his  death  these  were  divided  equally  among 
the  three.  The  castle  of  Mary,  called  Magdalon,  was  in  the  district 
of  Magdala  on  the  shore  of  the  sea  of  Tiberias.  Lazarus  was  by 
profession  a  soldier.  Martha  w\as  virtuous  and  discreet ;  but  IMary, 
giving  herself  up  to  luxury  and  idleness,  became  at  length  so  wicked 
as  to  be  called  "  The  Sinner."  Martha,  loving  her  sister  and  filled 
with  sorrow  by  her  sinful  life,  continually  rebuked  her,  and  finally 
persuaded  her  to  listen  to  the  teachings  of  Jesus.  The  seven  evil 
spirits  w^hich  Jesus  cast  out  were  the  seven  deadly  sins,  to  which  she 
had  been  subject  before  her  conversion.  The  entertainment  of  the 
Saviour  at  the  house  of  Martha,  the  supper  at  the  house  of  Simon 
the  Pharisee,  the  devotion  of  Mary  to  Jesus,  and  the  scenes  con- 
nected with  his  death  and  resurrection,  are  given  in  the  legend  as  in 
the  Gospels.  It  then  adds  that  after  the  ascension  of  Christ,  Lazarus 
and  his  sisters  with  their  handmaid  Marcella,  Maximin  who  had  bap- 
tized them,  and  the  blind  man  to  whom  Jesus  had  given  sight,  called 
Cedon,  were  placed  in  a  boat  with  no  rudder  to  steer  and  no  oars  nor 
sails  to  speed  them,  and  set  adrift.  This  was  done  by  the  heathen. 
They  were  carried  by  winds  and  waves  to  a  harbor  which  proved 
to  be  that  of  Marseilles.  The  people  of  tliat  place  were  also  heathen, 
and  they  refused  to  give  the  castaways  food  or  shelter.  Tlien  these 
found  a  resting-place  in  the  porch  of  a  temple,  and  Mary  began  to 
tell  of  Christ  and  to  urge  the  people  to  forsake  their  idols ;  and 
both  the  sisters  did  such  miracles  that  many  were  converted  and 
baptized.  When  Maximin  was  dead,  Lazarus  was  made  first  bishop 
of  Marseilles.  But  Mary  desired  to  live  in  solitude,  and  retired  to 
a  frightful  wilderness,  where  she  lived  thirty  years  a  life  of  penitence 
and  sorrow  for  the  sins  she  never  ceased  to  regret  and  bewail.  It 
was  supposed  she  was  dead ;  but  at  length  a  hermit  whose  cell  was  in 
the  same  desert  as  her  own  saw  a  miraculous  sight  which  disclosed 
the  truth  that  she  still  lived.  It  appears  that  often  in  her  hunger 
and  exhaustion  angels  had  ministered  to  her,  and  during  the  last 
years  of  her  life  they  bore  her,  every  day,  up  into  regions  where  she 
could  hear  celestial  harmonies,  and  see  the  glory  prepared  for  those 
who  repent  and  believe  in  God.  It  was  this  daily  ascension  that  the 
hermit  saw ;  and  he  hastened  to  the  city  to  relate  the  wonderful 

16 


226  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

vision.  Legends  disagree  concerning  the  place  and  manner  of  her 
death.  iSoiiio  relate  that  it  occuned  in  the  desert,  where  angels 
watched  over  her  and  cared  for  her,  while  others  say  she  died  in  a 
church,  after  receiving  the  last  sacraments  from  St.  Maximin.  The 
scene  of  her  solitary  penance  is  said  to  be  the  site  of  the  monastery  of 
La  Sainte  Beaume,  or  the  Holy  Cave,  between  Marseilles  and  Toulon. 
In  the  thirteenth  century  some  remains,  believed  to  be  those  of 
St.  Lazarus  and  St.  Mary  Magdalene,  were  found  about  twenty  miles 
north  of  Toulon,  at  a  place  called  St.  Maximin.  Here  a  church  was 
built  in  1279  by  Charles,  Count  of  Provence,  brother  of  St.  Louis, 
King  of  France.  A  few  years  later,  Charles  was  made  pris<jner  by  the 
King  of  Aragon ;  and  he  ascribed  the  praise  of  his  liberation  to  Mary 
Magdalene,  who  was  his  chosen  protectress.  Many  miracles  were 
wrought  through  her  intercession,  one  of  which  has  been  frequently 
represented  in  pictures.  A  certain  prince  of  Provence  came  to  Mar- 
seilles with  his  wife  to  sacrifice  to  the  pagan  gods.  They  listened  to 
the  instructions  of  Mary,  and  were  persuaded  to  leave  the  service  of 
tlie  idols.  One  day  tlie  husband  told  Mary  of  his  strong  desire  to  have 
a  son.  Mary  asked  him  if  he  would  believe  if  his  prayer  were  heard. 
He  promised  that  he  would  believe.  Not  long  after,  this  prince  de- 
cided to  go  to  Jerusalem  to  see  St.  Peter,  and  to  ascertain  if  what 
Magdalene  told  him  agreed  with  the  preaching  of  that  saint.  The 
wife  determined  to  go  also,  but  he  said,  "  How  shall  it  be  possible, 
seeing  that  thou  art  with  child,  and  the  dangers  of  the  sea  are  very 
great  1"  But  she  so  entreated  him  that  he  granted  her  request,  and 
they  departed.  After  a  day  and  night  had'  passed,  a  terrible  storm 
arose.  Tlie  pains  of  childbirth  came  upon  the  woman,  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  tempest  the  babe  was  born  and  the  mother  died.  The 
sailf)rs  wished  to  throw  the  body  into  the  sea,  believing  that  the  storm 
would  not  cease  wliile  it  remained  in  the  ship;  but  the  prince  per- 
suaded them  with  entreaties  and  raoncv  to  retain  it  awhile.  Soon 
they  arrived  at  an  island,  where  he  laid  his  wife  on  the  shore,  and 
placing  tlie  babe  on  her  breast  he  covered  them  with  his  cloak  and 
wept  bitterly,  and  said,  "0  Mary  Magdalene  !  to  my  grief  and  sorrow 
didst  thou  come  to  Marseilles  !  Why  didst  thou  ask  thy  God  to  give 
mo  a  son  only  that  I  might  lose  both  son  and  wife  together?  0 
Maiy  Magdalene  !  have  pity  on  my  grief,  and  if  thy  prayers  may 
avail,  save  at  least  the  life  of  my  child!"     Then  he  proceeded  to 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  227 

Jerusalem,  and  remained  there  two  years.  He  was  instructed  by 
St.  Peter,  and  saw  the  places  which  had  been  hallowed  by  the  life 
and  death  of  the  Saviour.  Now  on  his  return  he  landed  at  the  island 
where  he  had  left  the  body  of  his  wife,  that  he  might  weep  at  her 
last  resting-place.  Who  can  tell  his  surprise  when  he  saw  his  child 
running  about  on  the  shore  1  And  when  the  infant  saw  the  strange 
man  he  was  afraid,  and  bid  beneath  the  cloak  that  covered  his  dead 
mother.  Then  when  the  father  approached,  the  mother  also  opened 
her  eyes  and  smiled,  and  put  out  her  arms  to  embrace  her  husband. 
Then  did  the  prince  greatly  rejoice,  and  they  all  returned  to  Mar- 
seilles, and  threw  themselves  at  the  feet  of  the  Magdalene  and  were 
baptized.  There  are  legends  (though  never  accepted  by  the  Church) 
which  relate  that  an  attachment  existed  between  St.  John  the 
Evangelist  and  Mary  Magdalene ;  and  even  that  the  feast  which 
Jesus  attended  at  Cana  of  Galilee  was  on  the  occasion  of  the  mar- 
riage of  these  two  saints.  Donatello's  famous  statue,  carved  in  wood, 
stands  above  her  altar  in  the  baptistery  in  Florence.  It  represents 
her  as  the  wasted,  sorrowing  penitent,  and  is  strangely  in  contrast 
with  the  loveliness  of  many  representations  of  her.  Her  proper 
attribute  is  the  jar  of  ointment.  This  signifies  either  the  ointment 
which  she  brake  upon  the  feet  of  the  Saviour,  or  that  which  she 
prepared  for  the  anointing  of  his  crucified  body.  It  varies  in  size  and 
form  ;  is  usually  either  in  her  hand  or  standing  near  her,  though  some- 
times borne  by  an  attending  angel.  The  colors  of  the  dress  of  the  Mag- 
dalene are  red,  expressing  love  ;  violet,  penitence  and  mourning;  and 
blue,  constancy.  Sometimes  she  w^ars  a  violet  tunic  and  red  mantle. 
Some  Spanish  pictures  represent  her  with  dark  hair;  but  it  should 
be  luxuriant,  fair,  and  golden.  Patroness  of  frail  and  penitent 
women;  of  Provence  and  Marseilles.     July  22,  a.  d.  68. 

St.  Mary  the  Penitent  (Ital.  Santa  Maria  Penitente ;  Fr.  Ste. 
Marie,  la  Penitente).  This  Mary  was  the  niece  of  the  hermit  Abra- 
ham, and  her  life  was  mostly  spent  in  the  deserts  of  Syria.  She  too 
was  a  sinner  and  became  a  penitent,  to  whose  prayers  God  granted 
miraculous  answers.  Her  father  had  large  riches  and  lived  in  splen- 
dor. When  he  died,  the  daughter  was  carried  to  her  hermit  uncle 
to  be  religiously  instructed.  She  was  seven  years  old  when  taken 
to  the  desert.  Abraham  built  a  cell  close  to  his  own  and  opening 
into  it  by  a  window,  and  there  placed  the  child.     Here  he  taught 


228  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

her  to  pray,  to  sing  praises,  to  recite  psalms,  and  to  despise  the 
pleasures  (jf  the  world.  Thus  Mary  lived  until  she  was  twenty  years 
old.  At  this  time  there  came  a  young  hermit  to  the  cell  of  Abraham 
to  receive  his  instructions.  The  beauty  of  the  face  which  he  beheld 
by  chance  through  the  window,  and  the  music  of  the  voice  which 
chanted  lioly  praises  so  near  him,  inflamed  his  heart  with  love  for 
tlie  maiden ;  and  he  tempted  her  to  sin,  forgetting  his  vows.  When 
she  at  length  reflected  on  what  she  had  done,  she  so  feared  her  uncle 
that  she  fled  from  his  sight,  and  went  to  a  remote  place,  where  for 
two  years  she  lived  a  shameless  life  of  sin.  Now  on  the  very  night 
that  she  fled,  Abraham  dreamed  that  a  hideous  dragon  came  to  his 
cell  and  found  there  a  white  dove  and  took  it  away  with  him.  When 
he  awoke  the  dream  troubled  him.  Again  when  he  slept  he  saw  the 
same  dragon  ;  and  he  crushed  its  head  with  his  foot,  and  took  the  dove 
from  its  maw  and  put  it  in  his  bosom.  Then  the  dove  came  to  life, 
and  spreading  its  wings,  flew  to  heaven.  Then  the  hermit  knew  that 
this  dream  referred  to  his  beloved  Mary.  He  took  his  staff  and  went 
forth,  seeking  her  through  all  the  land.  After  a  long  time  he  found 
her;  and  when  she  was  overcome  with  shame  and  sorrow  he  encour- 
aged her,  and  promised  himself  to  do  penance  for  her.  Then  she 
cried '  out,  "  0  my  father !  if  thou  thinkest  there  is  hope  for  me,  I 
will  follow  thee  whithersoever  thou  goest,  and  kiss  thy  footsteps  which 
lead  me  out  of  this  gulf  of  sin  and  death  ! "  Then  he  comforted  her, 
and  leaving  behind  all  her  jewels  and  gay  attire,  she  returned  with 
him  to  the  cell  in  the  desert.  Here  she  ministered  to  her  aged  uncle, 
and  lived  a  life  of  contrition  and  penance.  For  many  years  after 
his  death  she  still  continued  the  same  life ;  and  so  great  was  the 
virtue  of  her  prayers  that  the  sick  who  were  brought  to  her  were 
cured  when  she  prayed.  When  she  died  she  was  bonie  by  angels  to 
paradiso.     Conversion  of  Mar}'  the  Penitent,  October  29. 

St.  Matthew  {Lat  S.  Mattheus;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Matthiius; 
Fr.  St.  Matthieu ;  Ital.  San  !Matteo).  Among  the  Evangelists  St. 
Matthew  holds  the  first  place  on  account  of  having  written  his  Gospel 
first.  In  representations  of  the  disciples  he  is  the  seventh  or  eighth, 
lie  has  not  been  a  popular  subject  of  art.  The  Scripture  account 
tells  only  that  his  name  was  Levi,  and  his  office  that  of  tax-gatherer; 
a  Hel)rew  by  birth.  When  Christ  called  him,  he  immediately  left 
all  else  to  obey  ;  and  he  also  made  a  great  feast  in  his  house,   at 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  229 

which  Jesus  with  his  disciples  sat  with  publicans  and  sinners  —  to  the 
horror  of  the  Jews.  After  the  separation  of  the  Apostles,  Matthew 
preached  twenty-three  years  in  Egypt  and  Ethiopia.  At  the  capital 
of  Ethiopia  he  was  honorably  entertained  by  that  eunuch  whom 
Philip  had  baptized.  He  raised  the  son  of  the  King  of  Egypt  from 
the  dead,  and  cured  his  daughter,  called  Iphigenia,  of  leprosy,  and 
placed  her  at  the  head  of  a  society  of  young  maidens,  dedicated  to 
the  service  of  God.  A  heathen  king  determined  to  take  her  away 
from  this  community;  for  which  impiety,  his  palace  was  burned, 
and  he  became  a  leper.  When  this  saint  was  in  Ethiopia  a  terrible 
fear  was  over  the  people,  on  account  of  two  skilful  magicians  who 
put  many  under  their  spells,  and  afflicted  them  with  dreadful  dis- 
eases. St.  Matthew  overcame  these  sorcerers,  and  ended  their  power 
by  baptizing  the  people.  All  this  is  related  in  the  "  Perfetto  Legen- 
dario."  The  manner  of  his  death  is  doubtful.  The  Greek  legend 
says  he  died  a  peaceful  death,  but  the  Western  traditions  declare  that 
he  suffered  martyrdom  in  the  time  of  Domitian.  His  proper  attributes 
are  the  purse,  when  represented  as  an  Apostle  ;  the  pen  and  book, 
with  an  attendant  angel,  when  the  Evangelist.  The  angel  holds 
the  inkhorn  or  the  book,  or  points  to  heaven,  or  dictates.  Greek 
pictures  of  his  death  show  him  dying  peacefully,  while  an  angel 
swings  a  censer;  other  representations  give  the  martyrdom  by  the 
sword.     September  21,  a.  d.  90. 

St.  Matthias  {Ital.  San  Mattia ;  Fr.  St.  Mathias ;  Lat.  S.  Mat- 
thseus)  was  the  last  apostle,  chosen  to  take  the  place  made  vacant 
by  the  treachery  of  Judas.  St.  Denis  relates  that  he  was  selected 
by  the  Apostles  on  account  of  a  beam  of  divine  splendor  which 
pointed  to  him.  This  has  been  represented  in  art.  He  preached 
in  Judsea,  and  was  martyred  by  the  Jews.  His  attribute  is  a  lance 
or  an  axe.     February  24. 

St.  Maurelio,  or  Maurelius,  was  the  first  bishop,  and  is  the 
patron  saint  of  Ferrara  and  Imola.  His  image  is  on  the  coins  of 
Ferrara.     He  was  beheaded. 

St.  Maurice  {Lat.  S.  Mauritius;  Ital.  San  Maurizio;  Ger.  Der 
Heilige  Moritz ;  Fr.  St.  Maurice).  The  legend  of  St.  Maurice  and 
the  Theban  Legion  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  of  all  legends,  and  has 
been  so  received  as  to  have  almost  the  importance  of  a  strictly 
historical  fact.     The   Theban    Legion   was  so  called  because    levied 


230  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

iu  the  Thebaid.  It  was  composed  of  6,GGG  men,  a]\  of  whom 
were  Christians.  It  was  commanded  by  Maurice,  who  was  of  ilhis- 
trious  descent.  This  legion  was  so  characterized  by  valor,  piety,  and 
fidelity,  that  it  had  received  the  title  of  Felix.  "When  Maximin  was 
about  to  enter  Gaul,  he  ordered  this  legion  to  accompany  him  thither. 
AVlien  thev  had  passed  the  Alps  the  legion  was  divided :  a  part  went 
to  the  Kliine,  and  tlie  remainder  halted  on  the  banks  of  Lake  (Jeneva. 
Here  Maximin  ordered  a  great  sacrifice  to  the  gods,  with  all  the 
games  and  festivities  which  accompanied  the  pagan  rites.  There, 
Maurice  and  his  soldiers  separated  themselves  from  the  army,  and 
pitched  their  camp  at  a  place  now  called  St.  Maurice,  but  then 
Aganum.  Maximin  then  made  it  known  that  the  purpose  of  his 
expedition  was  the  extermination  of  the  Christians,  and  threatened 
the  Theban  Legion  with  his  vengeance  if  they  did  not  join  in  the 
sacrifices.  They  steadfastly  refused  to  do  so,  or  to  assist  iu  the  per- 
secution of  the  Christians.  Then  Maximin  commanded  the  men  to 
be  deciniated.  Those  to  whom  the  lot  fell  rejoiced  in  being  thus 
chosen  to  testify  to  their  faith,  and  those  who  were  left  were  still  so 
determined  that  they  were  decimated  the  second  time.  Even  when 
the  third  summons  came,  Maurice  replied,  "0  Ctesar !  we  are  thy 
soldiers,  but  we  are  also  the  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ.  From  thee  we 
receive  our  pay,  but  from  him  we  have  received  eternal  life.  To 
thee  we  owe  service,  to  him  obedience.  We  are  ready  to  follow  thee 
against  the  barbarians  ;  but  we  are  also  ready  to  suffer  death,  rather 
than  renounce  our  faith  or  fight  against  our  brethren."  Then  Maxi- 
min commanded  that  the  rest  of  the  army  should  surround  these 
men,  and  murder  every  one  with  the  sword.  He  was  obeyed,  — not 
one  was  left  alive.  But  some  were  trampled  to  death,  some  hanged, 
and  some  shot  with  arrows.  Maurice  knelt  down  and  was  belieaded. 
At  Cologne,  and  in  other  places,  many  more  who  belonged  to  tlie 
Theban  Legion  suffered  martyrdom.  Savoy,  Piedmont,  and  parts  of 
Germany  abound  in  these  soldier  saints.  The  name  of  Maiu-ice 
signifies  "a  Moor,"  and  he  is  represented  as  one  in  some  pictures. 
He  is  dressed  in  armor,  and  bears  the  standard  nnd  the  palm.  In 
Italian  pictures  he  wears  a  red  cross  on  his  breast,  <^hich  is  the  badge 
of  the  Sardinian  Order  of  St.  Maurice.     September  22,  a.  d.  280. 

St.  Maurus  was  the  son  of  a  Roman  senator,  and  was  placed 
under  the  care  of  St.  Benedict  at  Subiaco,  when  only  tNselve  years 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  231 

old.  He  became  one  of  the  most  famous  disciples  of  his  great  master. 
At  one  time  Maurus  expressed  his  satisfaction  at  the  death  of  one 
Florentius,  who  had  attempted  to  poison  St.  Benedict,  and  had  com- 
mitted many  crimes  which  disgraced  his  office  (for  he  was  a  priest) ; 
this  expression  so  shocked  his  teacher  that  he  commanded  him  to 
atone  for  his  sin  by  a  severe  penance.  After  the  death  of  Bene- 
dict, Maurus  introduced  the  Benedictine  Order  into  France,  and 
founded  the  monastery  of  St.  Maure-sur-Loire  (then  called  Glanfeuil), 
where  he  died.  His  attribute  is  the  book  or  censer.  January  15, 
A.D.  584. 

St.  Mercuriale  was  the  first  Bishop  of  Forli  in  the  second  cen- 
tury. His  attribute  is  a  dragon,  representing  sin,  which  the  saint 
had  vanquished.     He  is  patron  saint  of  Forli. 

St.  Mercurius  {Gr.  "Ay.  'Ep/x^? :  signification,  "God's  messen- 
ger"). The  representations  of  this  saint  belong  especially  to  Greek 
art.  He  was  an  officer  whom  Julian  the  Apostate  put  to  death  on 
account  of  his  Christian  faith.  When  Julian  afterwards  fought 
against  the  Persians,  St.  Basil  had  a  vision  in  which  he  saw  a  woman 
seated  on  a  throne  and  surrounded  by  angels.  To  one  of  these  she 
said,  "Go  forthwith,  and  awaken  Mercurius,  who  sleepeth  in  the 
sepulchre,  that  he  may  slay  Julian  the  Apostate,  that  proud  blas- 
phemer against  me  and  against  my  Son  ! "  As  soon  as  the  vision 
had  passed,  Basil  went  to  the  tomb  of  Mercurius,  but  neither  the 
body  nor  the  armor  which  had  been  buried  with  him  were  in  the 
tomb.  But  the  next  day  the  body  of  the  saint  and  all  the  armor 
was  as  before,  except  that  the  lance  was  stained  with  blood.  "For 
on  the  day  of  battle,  when  the  wicked  emperor  was  at  the  head 
of  his  army,  an  unknown  warrior,  bareheaded,  and  of  a  pale  and 
ghastly  countenance,  was  seen  mounted  on  a  white  charger,  which 
he  spurred  forward ;  and  brandishing  his  lance,  he  pierced  Julian 
through  the  body,  and  then  vanished  as  suddenly  as  he  had 
appeared.  And  Julian  being  carried  to  his  tent,  he  took  a  handful 
of  the  blood  which  flowed  from  his  wound,  and  flung  it  into  the 
air,  exclaiming  with  his  last  breath,  ',Thou  hast  conquered,  Gali- 
lean !  Thou  hast  conquered ! '  Then  the  demons  received  his  part- 
ing spirit.  But  Mercurius,  having  performed  the  behest  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  re-entered  his  tomb,  and  laid  himself  down  to  sleep 
till  the  Day  of  Judgment." 


232  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

St.  Methodius.     See  St.  Cyril. 

St.  Michael  {Lat.  S.  Michael  Angelas ;  Fr.  Monseigneur  St. 
Michel;  Ital,  San  Michele,  Sammichele;  "Ay.  Mi;^ay/A).  St.  Michael, 
whose  name  signifies  "  like  unto  God,"  or  Michael  the  Archangel,  is 
regarded  as  the  first  and  mightiest  of  all  created  spirits.     He  it  was 

:  whom  God  commissioned  to  expel  Satan  and  the  rebellious  angels 
from  heaven.  His  office  now  is  believed  to  be  twofold,  —  including 
that  of  patron  saint  of  the  Church  on  earthy  and  Lord  of  the  souls  of 
the  dead;  presenting  the  good  to  God,  and  sending  the  evil  and 
wicked  away  to  torment.  It  is  believed  to  have  been  St.  Michael 
who  appeared  to  Hagar  (Gen.  xxi.  17),  to  Abraham  to  forbid  the 
sacrifice  of  Isaac  (Gen.  xxii.  11)  ;  who  brought  the  plagues  on  Egypt, 
led  the  Israelites  on  their  journey,  contended  with  Satan  for  the  body 
of  Moses  (Jude  5),  put  blessings  instead  of  curses  in  Balaam's  mouth 
(Num.  xxii.  35),  was  with  Joshua  at  Jericho  (Josh.  v.  13),  appeared 
to  Gideon  (Judges  vi.  11),  brought  the  pestilence  to  Israel  (2  Sam. 
xxiv.  16),  destroyed  the  Assyrian  army  (2  Chron.  xxxii.  21),  deliv- 
ered the  three  Hebrew  children  from  the  fiery  furnace  (Dan.  iii.  25), 
and  sent  Habakkuk  to  feed  Daniel  in  the  lion's  den  (Bel  and  the 

>  Dragon,  32).  The  legends  also  relate  that  St.  Michael  appeared 
to  the  Blessed  Virgin  to  announce  to  her  the  time  of  her  death, 
and  that  he  received  her  soul  and  bore  it  to  Jesus.  And  again, 
during  the  sixth  century,  when  a  fearful  pestilence  was  raging  in 
Rome,  St.  Gregory  advised  that  a  procession  should  be  made,  which 
should  pass  through  the  streets  singing  the  service  which  since  then 
has  been  called  the  Great  Litanies.  This  was  done  for  three  days, 
and  on  the  last  day,  when  they  came  opposite  to  the  tomb  of  Ha- 
drian, Gregory  beheld  the  Archangel  Michael  hovering  over  the  city  ; 
and  he  alighted  on  the  top  of  the  Mausoleum  and  sheathed  his  sword, 
which  was  dripping  with  blood.  Then  the  plague  was  stayed,  and 
the  Tomb  of  Hadrian  has  been  called  the  Castle  of  Sant*  Angelo 
from  that  day,  and  a  chapel  was  there  consecrated,  the  name  of 
which  was  Ecclesia  Sancti  Angeli  usque  ad  Ccclos.  St.  Michael  is 
also  said  to  have  appeared  to  ct)nmiand  the  building  of  two  churches. 
The  first  was  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Italy,  and  was  called  the  church 
of  Monte  Galgano.  The  legend  relates  that  in  the  fifth  century 
there  dwelt  in  Siponte  a  man  named  Galgano,  who  was  very  rich  in 
herds  which  were  pastured  on  the  mountain.     At  one  time  a  bull 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  233 

strayed  away,  and  Galgano  took  his  servants  and  went  to  find  him, 
and  when  seen  he  was  on  the  very  summit  of  the  mountain, 
near  the  mouth  of  a  cave.  Galgano  was  angry  with  the  bull,  and 
ordered  a  servant  to  kill  him ;  but  the  arrow  came  back  to  the 
bosom  of  him  who  sent  it,  and  killed  him  instantly.  Then  Galgano, 
being  troubled,  sent  to  the  bishop  to  know  what  he  should  do.  Then 
the  bishop  fasted  and  prayed  for  three  days,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  St.  Michael  appeared  to  him  and  told  him  that  the  spot  where 
the  bull  had  been  seen  was  especially  sacred  to  him,  and  he  could  not 
permit  it  to  be  violated  by  blood,  and  he  commanded  that  a  church 
should  be  built  there  under  his  patronage.  When  they  entered 
the  cave  they  found  a  stream  of  water  running  from  the  rock,  which 
cured  all  manner  of  diseases;  and  three  altars  were  already  built 
there,  and  one  was  covered  with  a  rich  cloth  embroidered  in  crimson 
and  gold.  So  the  fame  of  this  vision  spread  through  all  Europe,  and 
the  church  which  was  there  built  became  a  place  of  pilgrimage. 
Again,  in  the  reign  of  Childebert  II.,  St.  Michael  appeared  to  St. 
Aubert,  Bishop  of  Avranches,  and  commanded  that  a  church  should 
be  built  on  the  summit  of  a  rock  in  the  Gulf  of  Avranches,  in 
Normandy.  This  rock  is  inaccessible  at  high  water,  and  has  been 
celebrated  as  an  impregnable  fortress.  The  bishop  was  also  told 
that  a  bull  would  be  found  concealed  there  and  a  spring  of  pure 
water,  and  the  church  should  be  made  to  cover  as  much  ground 
as  the  bull  had  trampled.  St.  Aubert  considered  this  as  but  a 
dream ;  but  it  was  repeated  again  and  again,  and  the  third  time  the 
Archangel  pressed  his  thumb  upon  the  head  of  the  bishop  and  left 
there  a  mark  which  never  disappeared.  After  this  a  small  church 
was  built  which  was  afterwards  replaced  by  a  magnificent  abbey, 
begun  by  Richard,  Duke  of  Normandy,  and  completed  by  William 
the  Conqueror.  Mont-Saint-Michel  became  one  of  the  most  cele- 
brated places  of  pilgrimage,  as  it  is  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
in  scenery  ;  but  this  legend  seems  only  a  poor  repetition  of  that  of 
Monte  Galgano.  From  this  time  St.  Michael  was  greatly  venerated 
in  France.  He  was  selected  as  patron  saint  of  the  country  and  of 
the  order  which  St.  Louis  instituted  in  his  honor.  An  old  French 
writer  also  makes  him  the  angel  of  good  counsel,  and  says,  "  Le  vrai 
office  de  Monseigneur  St.  Michel  est  de  faire  grandes  revelations 
aux  hommes  en   bas,  en  leur   donnant  moult  saints  conseils,"  and 


234  LEGEXDS  AND  STORIES 

particularly  "  sur  le  bon  noiirissement  qne  le  pere  et  la  m^re  donnent 
a  leiirs  eufuus."  St.  Michael  is  always  represented  as  young  aud 
beautiful.  As  patron  of  the  Church  Militant  lie  is  "  the  winged 
saint,"  with  no  attribute  save  the  shield  and  lance.  As  conqueror 
of  Satan,  he  stands  in  armor,  with  his  foot  upon  the  Evil  One,  who 
is  half  human  or  like  a  dragon  in  shape.  The  angel  is  about  to 
chain  him  or  to  transfix  him  with  the  lance.  But  the  treatment  of 
this  subject  is  varied  in  many  ways,  all  however  easily  recognized. 
As  lord  of  souls  St.  Michael  is  unarmed  ;  he  holds  a  balance,  aud  in 
each  scale  a  little  naked  figure  representing  the  souls ;  the  heaio 
usually  joins  the  hands  as  in  thankfulness,  while  the  rejected  one 
expresses  horror  in  look  aud  attitude.  Frequently  a  demon  is  seizing 
the  fulling  scale  with  a  Plutonic  hook  or  with  his  talons.  In  these 
pictures  the  saint  is  rarely  without  wings."  When  introduced  in 
pictures  of  the  Madonna  and  Child  he  presents  the  balance  to  Christ, 
who  seems  to  welcome  the  happy  soul.  Wliether  witli  or  without 
the  balance,  he  is  always  the  lord  of  souls  in  pictures  of  the  death, 
assumption,  or  glorification  of  the  Blessed  Virgin;  for  tradition  says 
that  he  received  her  spirit  and  cared  for  it  until  it  was  reunited  to 
her  body  and  ascended  to  her  Son.  The  old  English  coin  called  an 
angel  was  so  named  becausFSi^)oretlifi..^  image  of  this  archangel. 
September  29.  Apparition  of  St.  Michael,  May  8. 

St.  Miniato,^  Mmias.  The  Florentine  legend  relates  that 
this  saint  was  an  Armenian  prince  who  belonged  to  the  Roman 
army  and  served  under  Decius.  When  that  emperor  was  encamped 
outside  the  city  of  Florence,  Miniato  was  denounced  as  a  Christian 
and  condemned  to  be  thrown  to  the  beasts  of  the  amphitheatre.  A 
panther  was  first  set  upon  him,  but  the  saint  was  delivered  from 
him  in  answer  to  his  prayers.  He  was  then  hanged,  put  in  boiling 
oil,  and  stoned  without  being  destroyed  ;  for  an  angel  descended  to 
comfort  him,  and  clothed  him  in  a  garment  of  light.  Finally  he 
was  beheaded.  It  is  said  that  this  occurred  in  254.  He  is  repre- 
sented dressed  as  a  prince  with  a  scarlet  robe  and  a  crown.  His 
attributes  are  the  palm,  the  lily,  and  javelins. 

St.  Modwena  was  an  Irish  virgin  who  had  power  to  heal  dis- 
eases. King  Egbert  had  a  son  who  was  epileptic,  and  no  physician 
of  his  court  could  heal  him.  Now  the  king,  hearing  of  the  power  of 
Modw^ena,  sent  his  son  over  seas  to  her  with  many  aud  rich  gifts. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  235 

The  virgin  refused  the  presents,  but  she  healed  the  sick  boy.  Then 
the  king*  sent  for  her  to  come  to  England.  Ho  was  surprised  at  lier 
learning  and  piety;  and  ho  built  for  her  a  convent  at  Polesworth,  in 
Warwickshire,  and  gave  his  daughter  Edith  into  her  care.  This 
Edith  of  Polesworth,  as  she  is  called,  became  a  holy  nun,  and  was 
canonized.  St.  Modwena  is  represented  in  the  black  habit  of  a  Bene- 
dictine nun,  with  a  white  veil;  in  one  hand  a  crosier,  as  hrst  abbess 
of  her  monastery,  and  in  the  other  a  book.    July  5,  a,  d.  1387. 

St.  Monica  {Fr.  Ste.  Moniqne)  was  the  mother  of  St.  Augus- 
tine and  a  Christian,  while  his  father  was  a  heathen.  Monica  was 
sorely  troubled  at  the  dissipated  life  of  her  young  son  ;  she  wept 
and  prayed  for  him,  and  at  last  sought  the  advice  and  aid  of  the 
Bishop  of  Carthage.  He  dismissed  her  with  these  words  :  "  Go  in 
peace ;  the  son  of  so  many  tears  will  not  perish."  At  length  she 
had  the  joy  to  behold  the  baptism  of  St.  Augustine  by  the  Bishop 
of  Milan,  in  which  city  it  took  j)lace.  She  is  venerated  as  the  great 
patroness  of  the  Augustinian  nuns.  She  is  represented  in  many  of 
the  pictures  illustrative  of  the  life  of  St.  Augustine.  Her  dress  is  a 
black  robe,  with  veil  or  coif  of  white  or  gray.  In  one  picture  in  Flor- 
ence she  is  seated  on  a  throne  and  attended  by  twelve  nuns  or  saints. 
May  4,  a.  d.  387. 

Moses,  The  Patriarch.  There  are  some  legends  concerning 
Moses  so  entirely  outside  all  connection  with  the  Scripture  account 
of  him,  that  the  pictures  which  are  painted  to  represent  them  are 
quite  incomprehensible  without  the  traditions.  According  to  these 
the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  Valid  went  to  the  Xile  in  order  to  heal 
some  disease  from  which  she  suffered,  by  the  use  of  its  waters. 
And  when  Thermutis  (for  so  she  was  called)  touched  the  babe,  she 
found  she  was  immediately  well.  One  legend  relates  that  the  king 
had  seven  daughters,  all  of  them  lepers,  and  tliat  ;ill  were  made 
whole  by  the  touch  of  the  infant;  and  that  therefore  the  king  al- 
lowed them  to  rear  the  child  in  the  palace.  But  art  represents  the 
first  version ;  and  the  legend  goes  on  to  say  that  Thermutis,  having 
no  children,  grew  so  fond  of  the  boy  that  she  desired  that  he  shonld 
succeed  to  the  throne  of  Enypt.  Xow,  when  the  cliild  was  tliree 
years  old,  she  brought  him  to  the  king,  who  caressed  him,  and  spor- 
tively placed  the  crown  on  his  head.  Moses  pulled  it  off,  and  dashed 
it  to  the  ground,  it  is  said,  because  it  was  engraved  with  the  figures 


236  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

of  idols,  which  even  then  ^^es  abhorred ;  again  it  is  said  that 
it  was  tlie  covering  of  the  king's  beard  that  he  pulled  otf  and  threw 
down,  iiut  be  it  as  it  may,  tliose  who  stood  by  looked  upon  it  as 
a  bad  omen,  and  advised  the  king  that  the  boy  should  be  slain;  but 
others  said  lie  was  too  young  to  know  right  from  wrong ;  while 
others  still  thought  there  was  something  very  uncommon  in  the 
babe.  Then  the  third  counsellor  said,  "  Let  a  ruby  ring  and  a  burn- 
ing coal  be  set  before  him;  if  he  should  choose  the  ring  it  will 
show  that  he  knows  right  from  wTong,  and  so  let  liim  be  slain ;  but 
if  he  choose  the  coal  it  will  show  he  is  too  young  to  distinguish  the 
right,  and  so  let  him  live."  Then  this  was  done ;  and  the  ring  was 
the  kiui^'s  siy:net,  which  was  laro;e  and  shininoj.  Then  at  first  the 
child  reached  out  for  the  ring;  but  the  angel  Gabriel,  who  took  the 
form  of  one  of  the  attendants,  turned  his  hand  aside,  so  that  he 
took  the  coal  and  put  it  into  his  mouth,  and  his  tongue  was 
so  burned  that  he  could  never  speak  distinctly  while  he  lived, 
but  his  life  was  spared.  This  appears  in  art  from  the  fourteenth 
centiu'v. 

St.  Nabor  and  St.  Felix.  Little  is  known  of  these  two  saints 
beyond  the  fact  that  they  were  Christians,  and  were  martyred  on 
account  of  their  faith  in  the  reign  of  Diocletian.  They  suffered  at 
Milan,  and  were  buried  by  a  Christian  named  Philip.  A  chapel 
was  built  over  their  remains,  and  it  was  in  this  church  that  St.  Am- 
brose prayed  when  he  had  the  vision  which  led  to  the  discovery  of 
the  relics  of  SS.  Gervasius  and  Protasius.  They  are  represented  in 
art  botli  in  armor  and  in  secular  costume.     July  12. 

St.  Narcissus.     See  St.  Afra  of  Augsburg. 

St.  Natalia.     See  St.  Adrian. 

St.  Nazarius  {Ital.  San  Nazaro).     See  St.  Celsus. 

St.  Neot  was  the  preceptor  as  well  as  the  kinsman  of  King  Al- 
fred. He  was  a  very  learned  monk  of  Glastonbury.  It  is  said  that 
he  journeyed  to  Rome  seven  times.  He  is  described  as  "  humble  to 
all,  affable  in  conversation,  wise  in  transactinsf  business,  venerable 
in  aspect,  severe  in  countenance,  moderate  even  in  his  walk,  upright, 
calm,  totnperatc,  and  charital)le."  He  dwelt  at  one  time  in  a  wild 
8olitud»3  m  ('(ii-invMll.  lie  died  in  878.  Two  towns  in  England 
bear  his  name.  Uis  attributes  are  the  pilgrim's  stalf  and  wallet. 
October  28. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  237 

St.  Nereus  {Ital.  San  Nereo).      See  St.  Achilleus. 

St.  Nicaise  {Lat.  S.  Nicasius)  was  bishop  of  lilieims,  and  was 
famed  for  the  success  of  his  preaching.  When  Rheims  was  besieged 
in  400  by  the  Vandals,  St.  Nicaise  went  forth  to  meet  them, 
attended  by  his  clergy  and  singing  hymns.  A  barbarian  soldier 
struck  off  the  upper  part  of  his  head ;  but  still  the  saint  marched  on 
and  continued  to  sing,  until  after  a  few  steps  he  fell  dead.  He  is 
represented  in  his  bishop's  robes,  carrying  a  part  of  his  head,  upon 
which  is  the  mitre.     December  14. 

St.  Nicholas  of  Myra  [Lat.  S.  Nicholaus;  Ital.  San  Niccolo 
or  Nicola  di  Bari ;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Nicolaus,  or  Niklas).  Very 
little  of  historical  fact  is  known  of  this  saint.  There  was  a  bishop 
of  this  name  much  venerated  in  the  East  as  early  as  the  sixth  cen- 
tury ;  a  church  was  dedicated  to  him  in  Constantinople  about  a.  d.  560  ; 
in  the  Greek  Church  he  ranks  next  to  the  great  Fathers.  He  began 
to  be  reverenced  in  the  West  in  the  tenth  century,  and  since  the 
twelfth  has  been  one  of  the  most  popular  of  all  saints  in  Russia,  as  well 
as  in  Italy,  and  in  all  Catholic  Europe.  But  what  history  does  not  tell 
is  more  than  supplied  by  tradition.  The  stories  of  St.  Nicholas  are 
numberless,  and  many  of  them  have  been  treated  in  art.  According 
to  these  legends  Nicholas  was  born  of  illustrious  Christian  parents, 
after  they  had  been  many  years  married  without  having  children; 
and  it  was  thought  that  this  'son  was  given  by  God  as  a  reward  for 
the  alms  which  they  had  bestowed  upon  the  Church  and  the  poor,  as 
well  as  for  the  praj^ers  they  had  offered.  Their  home  was  in  Pan- 
thera,  a  city  of  Lycia  in  Asia  Minor.  The  very  day  of  his  birth  this 
wonderful  child  arose  in  his  bath,  and  joining  his  hands,  praised  God 
that  he  had  brought  him  into  the  world.  And  from  the  same  day  he 
would  take  the  breast  only  once  on  Wednesday  and  Friday ;  thus 
knowing  how  to  fast  from  the  time  that  he  knew  hunger.  On 
account  of  his  holy  dispositions  his  parents  early  dedicated  him  to 
the  service  of  the  Church.  While  still  3'oung,  Nicholas  lost  both 
father  and  mother ;  and  he  regarded  himself  as  but  God's  steward 
over  the  vast  wealth  of  which  he  was  possessed.  A  certain  nobleman 
of  Panthera,  who  was  very  rich,  lost  all  his  property,  and  became  so 
destitute  that  he  could  not  provide  for  his  three  daugliters,  and  he 
feared  that  he  should  be  driven  to  sacrifice  their  virtue  for  money 
to  keep  them  from  starvation.     The  daughters  were  filled  with  gi'ief, 


238  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

and  having  no  bread  knew  not  where  to  look  for  aid.  Xow  Nicholas 
heard  of  this,  and  resolved  to  relieve  them.  So  he  took  a  good  sum 
of  gold,  and  tied  it  in  a  handkerchief,  and  went  to  the  house  by  night 
to  try  how  he  could  give  it  to  them  and  not  be  himself  seen.  As  he 
lino-ered  near  tlie  dwelling,  the  moon  shone  out  briglitly  and  showed 
an  open  window.  Then  >«'icholas  threw  the  gold  inside  the  house 
and  hastened  away.  The  money  fell  at  the  feet  of  the  unhappy 
father;  and  with  it  he  portioned  his  eldest  daughter,  and  she  was 
married.  Again  Nicholas  did  the  same,  and  the  second  daughter 
received  this  sum.  But  now  the  nobleman  resolved  to  watch,  in 
order  to  know  who  was  thus  kind  to  him;  and  when  Nicholas  went 
the  third  time,  he  seized  him  by  his  robe,  saying,  "  0  Nicholas ! 
servant  of  God!  why  seek  to  hide  thyself?"  Then  Nicholas  made 
him  xjromise  that  he  would  tell  no  man.  This  was  but  one  of 
the  many  charities  which  he  did  in  Panthera.  At  length  he  deter- 
mined to  go  to  Palestine.  On  the  voyage  a  sailor  fell  overboard  and 
was  drowned,  but  St.  Nicholas  restored  his  life ;  and  when  a  storm 
arose,  and  they  were  about  to  perish,  the  sailors  fell  at  his  feet  and 
implored  him  to  save  them ;  and  when  he  prayed  the  storm  ceased. 
After  his  return  from  Palestine  Nicholas  dwelt  in  the  city  of  Myra, 
where  he  was  unknown,  and  he  lived  in  great  humility.  At  length 
the  Bishop  of  Myra  died ;  and  a  revelation  was  made  to  the  clergy 
to  the  effect  that  the  first  man  who  should  come  to  the  church  the 
next  morning  would  be  the  man  whom  God  had  chosen  for  their 
bishop.  So  when  Nicholas  came  early  to  the  church  to  pray,  as  was 
his  custom,  the  clergy  led  him  into  the  church  and  consecrated  him 
bishop.  He  showed  himself  well  worthy  of  his  new  dignity  in  every 
way,  but  especially  by  his  charities,  which  were  beyond  account.  At 
one  time  a  dreadful  famine  prevailed  in  his  diocese  ;  and  when  ho 
heard  that  ships  were  in  the  })ort  of  Myra  laden  with  wheat,  he  re- 
quested the  cai)tains  to  give  him  a  hundred  hogsheads  of  wheat 
out  of  each  ve^:scl.  But  they  dared  not  do  this ;  for  the  grain  was 
measured  at  Alexandria,  and  would  be  again  measured  at  Constanti- 
nople, where  they  were  to  deliver  it.  Then  Nicholas  said  that  if  they 
obeyed  him,  it  would  happen  by  the  grace  of  Cod  that  their  cargoes 
should  not  bo  diminished.  So  they  complied  ;  and  when  they  were 
arrived  at  the  granary  of  the  emperor  they  found  as  much  wheat  in 
their  ships  as  when  they  left  Alexandria.     And  moreover  that  which 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  239 

the}'-  gave  St.  Nicholas  was  miraculously  increased ;  for  lie  fed  the 
people  so  that  they  had  enough  to  eat,  and  still  sufficient  remained 
to  sow  their  fields  for  the  next  year.     During  tiiis  time  of  hunger, 
as  St.  Nicholas  was  travelling  through  his  diocese,  he  did  one  of  his 
greatest  miracles.     He  slept  in  the  house  of  a  man  wlio  was  a  most 
loyal  son  of  Satan ;  for  in  this  time  of  want  he  was  accustomed  to 
steal  children,  to  kill  them  and  serve  them  up  as  meat  to  those  who 
stopped  at  his  inn.     Now  Nicholas  no  sooner  had  this  abominable 
dish  placed  before  him  than  he  knew  what  it  was,  and  understood 
the  horrible  wickedness  of  the  man.     Then  he  accused  the  host,  and 
went  to  the  tub  where  the  children  were  salted  down,  and  made  the 
sign  of  the  cross  over  it,  when,  lo  !  three  children  rose  up  whole  and 
well.     All  the  people  were  struck  dumb  at  this  miracle,  and  the  three 
children  were  restored  to  their  mother,  who  was  a  widow.     At  one 
time  Constantine  sent    certain  tribunes  to  put  down  a  rebellion  in 
Phrygia.       On   their  journey  they  stopped  at  Myra,  and    Nicholas 
invited  them  to  his  table ;  but  as  they  w^ere  about  to  sit  down,  he 
heard  that  the  prefect  of  the  city  was   preparing  to  execute  three 
innocent  men,  and  the  people  were  greatly  moved   thereat.     Then 
Nicholas  hastened  to  the  place  of  execution,  followed  by  his  guests. 
When  they  arrived  the  men  were  already  kneeling,  with  their  eyes 
bound,  and  the  executioner  was  ready  with  his  sword.     St.  Nicholas 
seized   the  sword   and   commanded  the  men  to  be   released.     The 
tribunes  looked  on  in  wonder,  but  no  one  dared  to  resist  the  good 
bishop.     Even  the  prefect  sought  his  pardon,  which  he  granted  after 
much  hesitation.     After  this,  when  the  tribunes  went  on  their  way, 
they  did  not  forget  St.   Nicholas;  for  it  happened  that  while  they 
were  absent  in  Phrygia  their  enemies  poisoned  the  mind  of  Constan- 
tine against  them,  so  that  when  they  were  returned  to  Constantinople 
he  accused   them  of  treason  and  threw  them   into  prison,  ordering 
their  execution  on  the  following  day.     Then  these  tribunes  called 
upon   St.  Nicholas,  and   prayed    him  to  deliver  them.     That  same 
night  he  appeared  to  Constantine  in  a  dream,  and  commanded  him 
to  release  those  whom  he  had  imprisoned,  and  threatened  him  with 
God's  wrath  if  he  obeyed  not.     Constantine  not  only  released  them, 
but  he  sent  them  to  Myra  to  thank  St.  Nicholas,  and  to  present  him 
with  a  copy  of  the  Gospels  which  was  written  in  letters  of  gold  and 
bound  in  covers  set  with  pearls  and  rare  jewels.     Also  certain  sailors 


240  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

who  were  in  danger  of  shipwreck  on  the  ^Egean  Sea  called  upon 
Jesus  to  deliver  them  for  the  sake  of  St.  Nichohis  ;  and  immediately 
the  saint  appeared  to  tliem,  saying,  "  Lo,  here  1  am,  my  sons !  put 
your  trust  in  (jod,  whose  servant  I  am,  and  ye  shall  be  saved."  And 
the  sea  was  calm,  and  he  took  them  into  a  safe  harbor.  Now,  the 
fame  of  these  miracles  so  went  abroad  through  the  world,  that  since 
that  time  those  who  are  in  peril  invoke  this  saint  and  find  aid  in 
him.  And  so  his  life  was  spent  in  doing  all  manner  of  good  works ; 
and  when  he  died  it  was  in  great  peace  and  joy,  and  he  was  buried 
in  a  magnificent  church  in  Myra,  The  miracles  attributed  to  St. 
Nicholas  after  his  death  are  quite  as  marvellous  as  those  he  did 
while  yet  alive.  A  man  who  greatly  desired  to  have  a  son  made  a 
vow  that  if  this  wish  were  realized,  the  first  time  he  took  his  child 
to  church  he  would  give  a  cup  of  gold  to  the  altar  of  St.  Nicholas. 
The  son  was  granted,  and  the  father  ordered  the  cup  to  be  made ;  but 
when  it  was  finished  it  was  so  beautiful  that  he  decided  to  retain  it  for 
his  own  use,  and  he  had  another  less  valuable  made  for  St.  Nicholas. 
At  length  he  went  on  the  journey  necessary  to  accomplish  his  vow, 
and  while  on  the  way  he  ordered  the  little  child  to  bring  him  water 
in  the  cup  which  he  had  taken  for  himself.  In  obeying  his  father, 
the  boy  fell  into  the  water  and  was  drowned.  Then  the  fi^ther 
repented  sorely  of  his  covetousness,  and  repaired  to  the  church  of 
St.  Nicholas  and  offered  the  second  cup ;  but  when  it  was  placed  upon 
the  altar  it  fell  off  and  rolled  on  the  ground,  and  this  it  did  the  second 
and  third  time ;  and  while  all  looked  on  amazed,  behold,  the  drowned 
child  stood  on  the  steps  of  the  altar  with  the  beautiful  cup  in  his 
hand  ;  and  he  told  how  St.  Nicholas  had  rescued  him  from  death  and 
brought  him  thither.  Then  the  joyful  father  made  an  offering  of  both 
cups,  and  returned  home  full  of  gratitude  to  the  good  St.  Nicholas. 
This  story  has  often  been  told  in  prose  and  poetry,  as  well  as  repre- 
sented in  art.  Again,  a  Jew  of  Calabria,  having  heard  of  all  the 
wonderful  deeds  of  St.  Nicholas,  stole  his  image  from  the  church  and 
set  it  up  in  his  house.  Whenever  he  left  his  house  he  put  the  caro 
of  his  goods  in  the  hands  of  the  saint,  and  threatened  that  if  anything 
should  befall  thcui  in  his  absence  he  would  chastise  the  Baint  on  his 
return.  One  day  the  robbers  came  and  stole  his  treasures.  Then 
the  Jew  beat  the  image  and  cut  it  also.  That  night  St.  Nicholas 
appeared  to  the  robbers  all  wounded  and  bleeding,  and  commanded 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  241 

them  to  restore  what  they  had  stolen ;  and  thej,  being  afraid  at  the 
vision,  did  as  he  bade  them.  Then  the  Jew  was  converted  by  this 
miracle  and  was  baptized.  Another  rich  Christian  merchant  who 
dwelt  in  a  pagan  country  had  an  only  son  who  was  made  a  captive, 
and  was  obliged  to  serve  the  king  of  the  country  as  cupbearer.  One 
day,  as  he  filled  the  king's  cup,  he  remembered  that  it  was  St.  Nich- 
olas' day,  and  he  wept.  Then  the  king  demanded  the  cause  of  his 
grief;  and  when  the  young  man  told  him,  he  answered,  *' Great  as  is 
thy  St.  Nicholas,  he  cannot  save  thee  from  my  hand  ! "  And  instantly 
the  palace  was  shaken  by  a  whirlwind,  and  St.  Nicholas  appeared 
and  caught  the  youth  by  the  hair,  and  set  him  in  the  midst  of  his 
own  family  with  the  king's  cup  still  in  his  hand.  And  it  happened 
that  the  very  moment  when  he  came  there  was  that  in  which  his 
father  was  giving  food  to  the  poor,  and  asking  their  prayers  for  his 
captive  son.  It  is  necessary  to  keep  these  traditions  in  mind  when 
regarding  the  pictures  of  St.  Nicholas ;  for  in  two  different  pictures 
there  appears  a  boy  with  a  cup,  so  that  it  is  important  to  distinguish 
them  by  the  accessories.  Sometimes  it  is  a  daughter  who  is  rescued 
from  captivity.  The  tomb  of  St.  Nicholas  was  a  famous  resort  for 
pilgrims  for  centuries.  In  807  the  church  was  attacked  by  Achmet, 
commander  of  the  fleet  of  Haroun  Al  Raschid.  But  the  watchfulness 
of  the  monks  prevented  him  from  doing  any  harm  ;  and  putting  to 
sea,  he  and  his  whole  fleet  were  destroyed  in  punishment  for  their 
sacrilegious  attempt.  The  remains  of  the  saint  rested  in  Myra  until 
1084,  although  several  attempts  were  made  by  different  cities  and 
churches  to  possess  themselves  of  these  holy  relics.  At  length,  in 
the  year  mentioned,  some  merchants  of  Bari  who  traded  on  the  coast 
of  Syria  resolved  to  obtain  these  remains,  of  which  they  had  heard 
so  great  wonders.  At  this  time  Myra  was  desolated  by  the  Sara- 
cens, and  the  ruined  church  was  guarded  by  three  monks.  Tlie 
remains  were  taken  without  difficulty  and  carried  safely  to  Bari, 
where  a  splendid  church  was  erected  for  their  resting-place.  The 
Venetians,  however,  claim  that  they  have  the  true  relics  of  St.  Nich- 
olas, brought  home  by  Venetian  merchants  in  1100.  But  the  claims 
of  Bari  are  generally  acknowledged,  and  the  saint  is  best  known  as 
St.  Nicholas  of  Bari.  In  Greek  pictures  he  is  dressed  like  a  Greek 
bishop,  with  no  mitre,  the  cross  in  place  of  the  crosie?',  and  the  em- 
blems of  the  Trinity  embroidered  on  his  cope.     In  Western  art  he  has 

16 


242  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

tlie  bishop's  dress,  the  mitre,  the  cope  very  much  ornamented,  the 
crosier,  and  jewelled  gloves!  His  attributes  are  three  bulls,  which 
are  on  the  book,  at  his  feet,  or  in  his  lap.  They  are  said  to  represent 
the  three  purses  of  gold  which  he  threw  into  the  window  of  the  poor 
nobleman  ;  or  three  loaves  of  bread,  emblematic  of  his  feeding  the 
poor;  or  again,  the  persons  of  the  Trinity.  The  first  interpretation 
is  the  most  general.  He  is  chief  patron  of  Russia,  patron  of  Bari, 
Venice,  and  Freiberg,  as  well  as  of  many  other  towns  and  cities, 
numbers  of  them  being  seaport  places.  He  is  protector  against 
robbers  and  losses  by  violence.  He  is  patron  of  children  and  school- 
boys  in   particular;    of  poor    maidens,    of    sailors,    travellers,    and/ 

merchants.     December  6,  a.  d.  326.,^ ^^ — '     "~      '  

St.  Nicholas  of  Tolentino  was  born  in  the  little  town  of 
St.  Angelo,  near  Fermo,  in  1239.  His  parents  had  prayed  earnestly 
to  St.  Nicholas  for  a  son  ;  and  as  they  believed  that  this  son  was  given 
to  them  through  the  intercession  of  this  saint,  they  named  him 
^Nicholas,  and  dedicated  him  to  the  service  of  the  Church.  At  an 
early  age  he  took  the  habit  of  an  Augustine  friar ;  and  so  great  was 
the  austerity  of  his  life  that  it  has  been  said  that  "lie  did  not  live, 
but  languished  through  life."  He  was  siiccessfnl  as  a  preacher,  and 
his  miracles  and  visions  are  numberless.  He  never  allowed  himself 
to  taste  animal  food  ;  and  when  he  was  very  weak  he  refused  a  dish 
of  doves  that  h's  brethren  brought  him,  and  waved  his  hand  above 
the  dish,  when  the  doves  rose  up  and  flew  away.  Tradition  relates 
that  at  the  hour  of  his  birth  a  brilliant  star  shot  through  the  heavens 
from  Sant'  Angelo,  where  he  was  born,  and  rested  over  the  city  of 
Tolentino,  where  he  afterwards  lived.  In  the  year  1G02  a  plague 
visited  the  city  of  Cordova  ;  and  according  to  the  legend  the  governor 
caused  the  image  of  St.  Nicholas  of  Tolentino  to  be  carried  through 
the  city,  in  solemn  processi(^n,  on  the  day  which  was  observed  as  the 
festival  of  that  saint.  Father  G.  de  Uavas,  bearing  a  crucifix,  met 
the  prcH-ession,  when  the  figure  of  Christ  stooped  from  the  cross  and 
embraced  that  of  St.  Nicholas,  and  immediately  the  ])lagiie  was 
stayed.  He  is  also  represented  in  art  as  restoring  a  cliild  to  life, 
and  doing  many  other  miracles.  He  is  painted  in  the  Mack  habit 
of  his  order,  with  a  star  on  his  breast ;  he  often  bears  a  criuitix 
wreathed  with  lilies,  tyi)ical  of  the  purity  and  austerity  of  his  life. 
September  10,  a.  d.  1309. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  243 

St.  Nilus  of  Grotta  Ferrata  {Ital.  San  Nilo ;  Fr.  St.  Nil  le 
jeiiiie).  St.  Nilus  was  connected  with  many  interesting  events  in 
Roman  history  in  life,  and  since  his  death  is  associated  with  art  in 
an  interesting  manner.  He  was  a  Greek,  born  near  Tarentuui.  It 
was  not  until  after  the  loss  of  his  wife,  whom  he  loved  devotedly, 
that  he  embraced  a  religious  vocation.  He  took  the  habit  of  the 
Greek  Order  of  St.  Basil,  and  was  soon  made  the  superior  of  his  com- 
munity on  account  of  his  worth  and  learning.  The  chances  of  war 
drove  him  to  the  west  of  Italy ;  and  he  fled  to  the  convent  of  Monte 
Cassino  at  Capua,  which  was  of  the  Benedictine  Order.  He  was 
received  with  great  kindness,  and  a  small  convent  as'signed  to  him 
and  his  followers  by  the  abbot.  At  this  time  Capua  was  governed 
by  Aloare,  who  was  the  widow  of  the  Prince  of  Capua,  ancj  reigned 
in  the  name  and  right  of  her  two  sons.  This  wicked  mother  had 
influenced  her  children  to  murder  their  cousin,  who  was  a  powerful 
and  worthy  nobleman.  Now  she  was  seized  with  the  agony  of  re- 
morse, and  sought  St.  Nilus  to  confess  her  crime,  and  entreated 
absolution  at  his  hands.  He  refused  this,  except  upon  condition  that 
she  should  give  up  one  of  her  sons  to  the  family  of  the  murdered 
man,  to  be  dealt  with  as  they  saw  fit.^  This  she  would  not  consent 
to  do.  Then  St.  Nilus  denounced  her  unforgiven,  and  told  her  that 
what  she  would  not  give,  Heaven  would  soon  exact  of  her.  She 
offered  him  large  sums  of  money,  and  begged  him  to  pray  for  her ; 
but  he  threw  down  her  money  in  scorn  and  left  her.  Not  long  after 
this  the  younger  son  killed  the  elder  in  a  church,  and  for  this  double 
crime  of  fratricide  and  sacrilege  he  was  put  to  death  by  command  of 
Hugh  Capet.  Nilus  afterwards  went  to  Rome,  and  lived  in  a  con- 
vent on  the  Aventine,  where  large  numbers  of  sick  people  visited 
him,  and  he  did  many  and  great  miracles.  Among  others,  his  cure 
of  an  epileptic  boy  forms  a  subject  for  art.  Crescent ius  was  consul 
at  this  time,  and  had  set  up  Philagatus,  Bishop  of  Placentia,  as 
anti-pope,  against  Gregory  V.,  with  the  title  of  John  XYI.  Then 
Otho  TIL  came  to  Rome  to  expel  the  anti-pope,  and  laid  siege  to  the 
castle  of  St.  Angelo,  to  which  Crescentius  had  retired.  After  a  short 
siege  the  castle  was  given  up  on  honorable  terms ;  but  not  heeding 

1  This  incident  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Rev.  Alban  Butler's  sketch  of  the 
saint ;  and  the  pledge  exacted  of  the  mother  comports  not  with  the  Christian 
spirit. 


244  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

these,  Otho  ordered  that  Crescentius  should  be  thrown  headlong 
from  the  walls,  and  Stephanie,  his  wife,  given  up  to  the  outrages 
of  the  soldiers.  So  great  was  the  influence  of  Nilus  in  Rome  at  this 
time,  that  he  interceded,  to  good  effect,  with  both  Pope  and  Emperor, 
in  behalf  of  the  anti-pope,  claiming  that  he  should  be  treated  with 
mildness,  as  he  was  a  bishop.  The  saint  then  left  Home,  and  went 
first  to  a  cell  near  Gaeta,  but  soon  after  to  a  cave  near  Frascati, 
called  the  Crypta,  or  Grotta  Ferrata.  Otho  went  on  a  pilgrimage  to 
Monte  Galgano.  When  returning,  he  visited  Nilus,  and  on  his  knees 
besought  his  prayers.  He  offered  to  erect  a  convent  and  endow  it 
with  lands,  but  this  Nilus  refused  ;  and  when  Otho  demanded  what 
boon  he  could  grant  him,  the  saint  stretched  out  his  hand,  and  replied, 
"  I  ask  of  thee  but  this  :  that  thou  wouldst  make  reparation  for  thy 
crimes  before  God,  and  save  thine  own  soul ! "  Soon  after  Otho 
returned  to  Rome  he  was  obliged  to  fly  from  the  fury  of  the  people, 
and  was  poisoned  by  Stephanie,  the  widow  of  Crescentius.  When 
St.  Nilus  died,  he  desired  his  brethren  to  bury  him  immediately,  and 
to  keep  secret  the  place  where  they  laid  him.  This  they  did  ;  but 
his  disciple,  Bartolomeo,  built  the  convent  which  Nilus  had  not 
wished  to  do,  and  received  the  gifts  he  had  refused.  The  magnificent 
convent  and  church  of  San  Basilio  of  Grotta  Ferrata  was  built,  and 
St.  Nilus  is  regarded  as  its  founder.  The  rule  is  that  of  St.  Basil, 
and  the  priests  say  mass  in  Greek,  but  they  wear  the  Benedictine 
habit  as  a  dependency  of  Monte  Cassino.  The  finest  Greek  library 
in  all  Italy  was  here,  and  is  now  in  the  Vatican ;  and  Julius  II. 
changed  the  convent  to  a  fortress.  In  IGIO  Domenichino  was 
employed  by  Cardinal  Odoardo  Farnese  to  decorat-e  the  chapel  of 
St.  Nilus,  which  he  did,  with  paintings  from  the  life  of  the  saint. 
September  26,  a.  d.   1002. 

St.  Norbert  (Ital.  San  Norberto,  Fondatore  de'  Premostratesi ; 
Ger.  Stifter  der  Pramonstratenser-Orden).  This  saint  was  a  relative 
of  Henry  IV.  He  was  born  at  Cologne,  and  early  dedicated  to  the 
Church.  But  he  led  a  dissolute  life  as  a  young  man.  At  last,  as  he 
was  one  day  riding,  he  was  overtaken  by  a  tempest,  and  a  ball  of  fire 
fell  from  heaven  and,  exploding  at  the  feet  of  his  horse,  sank  into  the 
earth.  He  was  terrified  when  he  reflected  upon  what  his  state  would 
have  been  had  he  been  killed  by  it,  and  he  resolved  to  lead  a  difter- 
ent  life  from  that  time.     He  bestowed  his  money  on  the  poor,  and 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  245 

determined  to  be  a  missionary.  He  only  reserved  a  mule  to  carry 
the  sacred  utensils  for  the  altar  and  the  vestments,  and  ten  marks  of 
silver.  He  dressed  himself  in  skins,  with  a  cord  as  a  girdle,  and  thus 
he  went  forth  to  preach.  After  preaching  for  some  years  there  were 
many  who  desired  him  to  form  a  community,  and  lead  them  in  a  life 
of  austerity  and  severe  discipline.  He  prayed  to  the  Blessed  Virgin 
for  direction,  and  she  pointed  out  to  him  a  spot  called  Prc-montre 
(Pratum  Monstratum),  in  the  valley  of  Coucy,  where  he  should 
establish  his  monastery.  The  Virgin  also  directed  what  habit  his 
monks  should  wear ;  that  it  should  be  a  coarse  black  tunic,  with  a 
white  woollen  cloak,  in  imitation  of  angels,  who  are  clothed  in  white ; 
and  a  four-cornered  cap  of  white  also,  but  in  form  like  the  beret  of  the 
Augustinian  canons.  The  rule  was  that  of  Augustine  in  extreme 
severity.  St.  Norbert  was  made  Bishop  of  Magdeburg,  and  before 
his  death  his  order  embraced  twelve  hundred  souls.  According  to 
the  legend,  one  day  when  he  had  consecrated  the  holy  wine,  and  was 
about  to  drink  it,  he  saw  a  large  and  poisonous  spider  in  the  cup. 
For  a  moment  he  hesitated ;  but  he  reflected  that  he  could  not 
spill  the  consecrated  wine,  —  it  would  be  sacrilege ;  so  he  drank  it, 
and  remained  unharmed.  This  was  considered  a  miraculous  rec- 
ompense of  his  faith,  and  is  often  represented  in  art.  When  at 
Antwerp,  there  was  one  Tankelin  who  preached  most  heretical  doc- 
trines, saying  that  the  sacraments  were  unnecessary,  the  priesthood 
a  cheat,  and  a  community  of  wives  as  well  as  goods  the  true  doctrine. 
St.  Norbert  confronted  this  heretic,  opposed  him,  and  triumphed  over 
him  with  great  honor.  He  wears  in  pictures  the  dress  of  an  arch- 
bishop, with  mitre,  crosier,  and  cope.  Sometimes  he  bears  the  sacra- 
mental cup,  over  which  is  a  spider.  He  also  has,  in  some  instances, 
a  demon  at  his  feet,  representing  the  sin  and  error  which  he  had 
overcome.     May  6,  a.  d.  1134. 

St.  Omobuono  was  a  citizen  saint  of  Cremona.  He  was  a  mer- 
chant, and  married  to  a  good  and  prudent  wife ;  so,  though  a  saint, 
he  was  not  monk  or  priest.^  From  his  youth  all  his  affairs  prospered 
greatly,  and  his  wealth  was  equalled  only  by  his  charity.  He  not 
only  fed  and  clothed  but  he  comforted  the  poor,  and  tried  to  encour- 
age the  erring  ones  to  repent  and  lead  virtuous  lives.  His  wife  often 
feared  lest  his  generosity  should  make  his  children  poor,  but  his 

1  Sanctity,  even  in  a  heroic  degree,  is  attainable  in  every  state  of  life. 


246  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

mouey  seemed  to  be  miraculously  increased ;  and  it  is  related  that 
being  on  a  journey  with  liis  family,  he  gave  all  the  wine  and  bread 
he  had  provided  for  their  use  to  some  poor  pilgrims  whom  he  met; 
but  when  he  took  his  wine-flasks  to  a  spring  and  tilled  them  with 
water,  most  excellent  wine  was  poured  from  them,  and  his  bags  were 
filled  with  bread  by  angels.  He  died  peacefully  while  kneeling  be- 
fore a  crucifix  in  the  church  of  St.  Egidio,  just  as  the  choir  sang  the 
"Gloria  in  Excelsis."  He  is  represented  clotlied  in  a  loose  tunic  and 
a  cap,  both  of  which  are  trimmed  with  fur.  He  usually  distributes 
alms  to  tlie  poor  ;  wine-flasks  stand  near  him. 

St.  Onuphrius  (Onofrio,  Hcniofrio,  Onuphre)  was  a  hermit.  He 
went  out  from  Thebes  and  passed  sixty  years  in  the  desert,  during 
which  time  he  never  uttered  a  word  except  in  prayer,  nor  saw  a 
human  face.  His  clothing  was  of  leaves,  and  his  hair  and  beard  were 
uncut.  He  was  thus  seen  by  Paphnutius,  who  when  he  first  saw  him 
was  filled  with  fear,  believing  him  to  be  some  strange  wild  beast ; 
but  when  he  saw  that  it  was  a  man,  he  fell  at  his  feet  filled  with 
reverence  for  his  sanctity.  Then  Onuphrius  recounted  all  he  had 
endured  in  his  solitude  :  how  he  had  been  tempted  ;  had  suffered 
from  cold,  heat,  hunger,  thirst,  and  sickness ;  and  how  God  had  sent 
angels  to  comfort,  strengthen,  and  minister  unto  him.  Then  he 
begged  Paphnutius  to  remain  with  him,  as  he  was  near  to  death.  It 
was  not  long  before  he  died,  and  Paphnutius  covered  his  remains 
with  one  half  of  his  cloak.  Then  he  had  a  revelation  that  he  should 
go  into  the  world  and  make  known  the  wonderful  life  and  merits  of 
him  who  had  died.  Many  convents  where  silence  and  solitude  are 
especially  practised  are  placed  under  the  protection  of  this  saint. 
Tasso  died  and  is  buried  in  the  convent  of  St.  Onofrio  in  the  Traste- 
vere  in  Rome.  St.  Onuphrius  is  represented  as  meagre  and  old  ;  a 
stick  in  his  hand,  and  a  branch  with  leaves  twisted  about  hitn.  In 
many  old  pictures  he  looks  more  the  beast  than  the  man.  Sometimes 
money  is  lying  at  his  feet  to  signify  his  scorn  of  it.     June  12. 

Ordeal.  The  trial  by  ordeal  was  used  for  the  decision  of  cases 
where  the  oath  of  the  accused  person  was  not  considered  worthy  of 
reliance.  It  was  called  the  great  purgation.  The  word  ordeal  is 
from  two  Saxon  words,  —  or,  great;  and  deal,  judgment.  There  were 
three  tests  used  in  these  trials:  (1)  By  red-hot  iron;  this  the  person 
held  in  the  hand,  or  walked  on  barefoot.     (2)  By  boiling  water;  the 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  247 

person  dipped  the  hand  to  the  wrist  or  the  arm  to  the  elbow,  and  took 
out  a  stone.  (3)  By  cold  water,  or  compelling  persons  to  swim  ;  this 
was  chiefly  used  f  )r  detecting  witches,  and  was  also  employed  not 
only  by  judges,  but  at  length  by  the  people  and  especially  by  foresters, 
to  discover  criminals.  These  tests  had  their  origin  among  the 
northern  nations,  but  were  condemned  at  Rome,  whenever  any  notice 
of  them  reached  there.  Where  certain  bishops  sanctioned  these  trials, 
exiimples  are  recorded  of  God's  fsivor  shown  to  the  good  faith  and 
piety  of  the  innocent ;  as,  for  instance,  in  the  case  of  the  monk  Peter, 
SLirnamed  Igneiis,  at  Florence,  in  1067. 

St.  Oswald.  This  king,  being  moved  with  a  desire  to  live  a 
truly  Christian  life,  asked  that  a  teacher  might  be  sent  to  instruct 
him  and  his  people.  The  first  man  who  was  sent  was  severe  in 
disposition,  and  had  no  success  with  the  unlearned.  Then  Aidan 
came,  and  by  means  of  his  mildness  and  great  discretion,  he  had 
much  influence  with  the  king  and  his  people.  Aidan  w^as  afterwards 
prior  of  JMelrose.  According  to  the  legends,  it  happened  that  as 
Oswald  sat  at  dinner  one  Easter  Day  with  Aidan  by  his  side,  he  was 
told  that  there  were  those  at  his  door  who  begged  for  bread.  Now 
there  was  before  him  a  silver  dish  filled  with  delicate  and  savory 
meat.  Oswald  told  the  servant  to  give  the  beggars  the  meat,  and 
then  to  break  the  dish  and  divide  it  among  them.  Then  Aidan  took 
his  right  hand,  saying,  "  May  this  hand  never  wither ! "  And  his 
prayer  was  granted  ;  for  at  Oswald's  death  his  heathen  enemies  cut  off 
his  head  and  hands,  and  set  them  on  stakes ;  but  his  head  was  taken 
to  the  church  of  Lindisfarne,  and  buried  in  St.  Cuthbert's  tomb,  be- 
tween the  arms  of  that  saint :  his  right  hand  was  carried  to  Bara- 
borough  Castle,  where  it  was  a  long  time  preserved,  free  from  decay. 
At  one  time  Oswald  was  driven  from  his  throne  by  Cadwallader.  At 
length  he  determined  to  regain  his  kingdom.  He  raised  an  army  ; 
and  when  in  sight  of  his  enemies  he  ordered  his  men  to  make  a  large 
wooden  cross,  and  himself  helped  to  place  it  in  the  ground.  Then 
he  cried  out,  "  Let  us  all  kneel  down  and  beseech  the  living  God  to 
defend  us  from  the  haughty  and  fierce  enemy,  for  he  knows  that  we 
have  undertaken  a  just  war  for  the  safety  of  our  nation."  And  when 
they  fought,  Oswald  was  victorious.  The  greatest  proof  of  his  charity 
of  heart  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  as  he  died  he  prayed  for  those  who 
killed  him.     "  May  God  have  mercy  on  their  souls,  as  Oswald  said 


248  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

when  he  fell,"  was  a  proverb  for  many  years  in  England.  And  the 
le'^end  tells  that  "in  the  place  where  he  was  killed  by  the  pagans, 
ti"'htin«'  for  his  country,  iutirrn  men  and  cattle  are  healed  to  this 
day ;  nor  is  it  to  be  wondered  at,  that  the  sick  should  be  healed  in 
the  place  where  he  died,  for  whilst  he  lived  he  never  ceased  to  pro- 
vide for  the  poor  and  infirm,  and  to  bestow  alms  on  them  and  assist 
them."  His  remains  were  carried  to  Eardney  in  Lincolnshire  by 
Osthrida,  and  afterwards  to  St.  Oswald's  in  Gloucestershire  by 
Eifleda,  the  daughter  of  King  Alfred.  Pie  is  dressed  as  a  king, 
in  his  pictures;  he  wears  a  crown  and  carries  a  cross.  August  5, 
A.  D.    G42. 

St.  Ottilia  was  the  blind  daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Alsace.  Her 
father,  who  was  a  pagan,  commanded  that  on  account  of  her  infirmity 
she  should  be  left  out,  and  exposed  to  death.  Her  nurse  then  lied 
to  a  monastery  with  the  child.  Then  Erhard,  a  bishop  of  Bavaria, 
was  told  in  a  vision  that  he  should  go  to  a  certain  monastery,  where 
he  would  find  a  little  girl  of  noble  birth  who  was  blind.  He  was 
commanded  to  baptize  her  and  call  her  name  Ottilia,  and  promised 
that  her  sight  should  be  given  her.  All  this  was  done  according  to 
the  vision.  Her  father  repented  of  his  wickedness  before  his  death, 
and  gave  her  all  his  wealth.  Then  Ottilia,  knowing  that  for  his 
cruelty  her  father  was  tormented  in  purgatory,  determined  to  deliver 
him  by  prayers  and  penance.  She  built  a  convent  at  Hohenburg,  of 
which  she  was  abbess,  and  there  she  gathered  one  hundred  and  thirty 
nuns.  She  is  represented  in  the  black  Benedictine  habit.  Her  attri- 
butes are  the  palm  or  crosier,  and  a  book  upon  which  are  two  eyes. 
She  is  patron  saint  of  Alsace,  and  especially  of  Strasburg.  She  is 
also  protectoj-  of  all  who  suffer  with  diseases  of  the  eye.  December 
13,  A.  D.  7-20. 

St.  Pancras  (Ital.  San  Pancrazio ;  Fr.  St.  Pancrace).  This 
saint,  when  only  fourteen  years  old,  died  a  martyr's  death.  He 
boldly  defended  the  Christians  and  their  faith  before  Diocletian,  and 
was  beheaded.  His  remains  were  buried  by  Christian  women.  His 
church  at  Rome,  near  the  gate  which  bears  his  name,  was  built  in 
the  year  500.  French  kings  formerly  confirmed  their  treaties  in  hia 
name ;  for  he  was  regarded  as  the  avenger  of  false  swearing,  and  it 
was  believed  that  all  who  swore  falsely  in  his  name  were  immediately 
and  visibly  punished.     May  12,  a.  d.  304. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  249 

St.  Pantaleon  of  Nicomedia  {Ital.  San  Pantaleone;  Cr.  "Ay. 
HavTokiuiv)  was  born  (according  to  tradition)  at  IS'^icomedia  in  Bithynia. 
He  was  remarkable  for  his  personal  beauty  and  elegant  manners,  on 
account  of  which,  after  completing  the  study  of  medicine,  he  became 
the  favorite  physician  of  the  Emperor  Galerius  Maximian.  The 
father  of  Pantaleon  was  a  pagan,  and  his  mother  a  Christian  ;  but  at 
the  heathen  court  the  sou  forgot  all  the  instructions  that  his  mother 
had  carefully  given  him.  At  length  he  heard  a  priest,  Hermolaus, 
preach,  and  was  converted.  When  the  persecution  broke  out,  he 
knew  he  could  not  conceal  himself,  and  he  prepared  to  suffer  a  cruel 
martyrdom.  He  went  about  to  the  sick  and  needy,  and  well  earned 
the  title  of  the  "  all-merciful,"  which  is  the  Greek  signification  of  his 
name.  When  accused  before  the  emperor,  he  was  condemned  to  be 
beheaded,  together  with  the  aged  and  venerable  Hermolaus,  who  was 
apprehended  at  the  house  of  Pantaleon.  The  latter  was  bound  to  an 
olive-tree,  and  as  soon  as  his  blood  flowed  to  the  roots  of  the  tree  it 
burst  forth  wnth  leaves  and  fruit.  He  is  especially  venerated  at 
Venice.  There  have  been  some  who  doubted  his  existence,  and  be- 
lieved his  name  to  have  been  derived  from  the  war-cry  of  the  Vene- 
tians,—  Pianta  Leone  (Plant  the  Lion)!  But  Justinian  erected  a 
church  under  his  patronage  in  Constantinople,  and  he  was  celebrated 
in  the  Greek  Church  at  that  time  when  Venice  would  have  been 
more  likely  to  introduce  his  veneration  from  the  East  than  to  have 
originated  it  in  any  other  way.  Patron  of  physicians.  He  is  repre- 
sented as  young,  beardless,  and  handsome.  As  a  martyr  he  is  bound 
to  an  olive-tree,  with  his  hands  nailed  to  it  above  his  head,  a  sword 
at  his  feet.  Without  observation  he  might  be  mistaken  for  St. 
Sebastian.  When  he  is  painted  as  patron,  he  wears  the  physician's 
robe  and  bears  the  olive  or  palm,  or  both.  July  27.  Fourth 
century. 

St.  Patrick  {Lat.  S.  Patricius)  was  the  son  of  Christian  parents. 
He  was  carried  a  captive  to  Ireland  when  a  boy,  and  tended  the 
herds  of  his  master.  He  was  greatly  moved  at  the  ignorance  and 
heathenism  of  the  people  about  him ;  and  when  at  last  he  made  his 
escape  and  returned  to  his  home,  he  had  visions  in  which  it  appeared 
that  the  cliildren  of  Ireland  not  yet  born  stretched  forth  their  hands 
to  him  and  cried  for  salvation.  Patrick  resolved  to  become  a  mis- 
sionary, and  prepared  himself  for  his  labor,     He  received  his  mission 


250  LEGEXDS  AND  STORIES 

from  Pope  Celestine,  and  returned  to  Ireland.  He  labored  there 
forty  years.  He  gained  many  disciples,  and  preached  with  the 
greatest  success.  He  baptized  the  kings  of  Dublin  and  Munster, 
and  the  seven  sons  of  the  King  of  Connaught.  Having  found  Ireland 
uudor  the  spiritual  sway  of  the  Druids,  he  loft  it  Cliristianizcd  ;  with 
schools  wliich  became  fi\mous,  and  sent  forth  many  learned  scholars. 
The  familiar  story  of  the  exi»ulsion  of  the  reptiles  from  Ireland,  by  this 
saint,  has  the  meaning  of  many  other  legends  and  allegories,  and  fig- 
ures probably  the  triumph  of  good  over  evil.  He  died  and  was  buried 
at  Down,  in  the  province  of  Ulster.  His  resting-place  is  still  vene- 
rated by  the  people,  and  his  remains  were  preserved  man}"  years; 
but  his  church  at  Down  was  destroyed  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VI 1 1., 
and  such  relics  of  him  as  remained  were  scattered  either  by  the  sol- 
diers of  Elizabeth  or  by  those  of  Cromwell.  When  represented  as 
bishop,  he  wears  the  usual  dress  with  the  mitre,  cope,  and  crosier, 
while  a  neophyte  regards  him  with  reverence.  As  the  Apostle  of  Ire- 
land he  should  wear  a  hooded  gown  and  a  leathern  girdle.  The  staff, 
wallet,  standard  with  the  cross,  and  the  Gospel  are  all  his  proper 
attributes.  Serpents  are  represented  as  running  from  him  at  the 
motion  cf  his  cn^sier.     March  17,  a.  d.  4G4. 

St.  Paul  (Lett.  S.  Paulus  ;  ItaL  San  Paolo  ;  Sp.  San  Pablo ;  Fr.  St. 
Paul ;  Gr.  "Ay.  UavXo^).  St.  Paul  and  St.  Peter  occupy  the  tirst  place 
among  the  Apostles.  St.  Peter  more  especially  represented  the  con- 
verted Jews,  and  St.  Paul  the  Gentiles ;  together  they  represent  the 
Universal  Church.  There  are  few  legends  connected  with  St.  Paul, 
but  the  scenes  of  his  life  as  given  in  the  Gospel  have  furnished 
inexhaustible  subjects  for  the  illustrations  of  art.  St.  Paul  is  so  often 
represented  with  St.  Peter  that  it  is  necessary  to  be  able  to  distin- 
guish the  one  from  the  other.  Augustine  and  other  early  writers 
allude  to  portraits  of  St.  Paul  as  existing  in  their  time;  and  it  is 
sujiposed  that  the  traditionary  picture  of  him  which  is  so  strictly 
followed  had  its  origin  in  those  portraits.  lie  is  small  of  stature, 
with  high  forehead,  sparkling  eyes,  and  aquiline  nose.  His  hair  and 
beard  are  brown,  and  the  latter  long  and  flowing.  Later  artists  have 
varied  the  head  of  St.  Paul  more  than  that  of  St.  Peter,  but  the  most 
ancient  j)ictures  are  exact  in  these  jjarticulars.  When  the  two  Apostles 
are  together,  their  proper  place  is  on  ea(;h  wide  of  the  Saviour,  (tr  of 
the  Virgin  enthroned.     Their  pictures  should  be  placed  on  each  side 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  251 

the  altar,  or  of  the  arch  over  the  choir.  The  dress  is  the  same  for 
both,  —  a  bhie  tunic  and  white  mantle  in  Greek  pictures,  a  blue  or 
green  tunic  and  yellow  mantle  in  later  works  of  art.  Paul  bears  the 
sword  in  a  double  sense,  signifying  his  spiritual  warfare  and  the 
manner  of  his  death.  He  also  has  a  book  or  scroll,  and  sometimes 
twelve  rolls,  representing  his  epistles.  When  he  leans  on  his  sword, 
it  is  his  death  which  is  represented;  when  he  holds  it  aloft,  it  signifies 
the  "good  fight"  which  he  fought.  If  two  swords  are  given  him, 
both  the  manner  of  his  death  and  that  of  his  life  are  sij^nified.  The 
events  in  the  life  of  this  Apostle  are  so  well  known  to  all  that  they 
are  easily  recognized  in  art.  The  church  called  "  San  Paolo  delle 
Tre  Fontane,"  near  Rome,  is  built  over  three  fountains  which  are 
said  to  have  sprung  up  at  the  three  places  where  the  head  of  St.  Paul 
fell  and  bounded,  after  being  cut  off  by  the  executioner.  It  is  said 
that  the  fountains  vary  in  the  warmth  of  the  water,  —  the  first,  or 
the  cne  where  the  head  fell,  being  the  hottest ;  the  next,  or  that  of 
the  first  bound,  cooler ;  and  the  third  still  cooler,  —  but  probably  time 
has  equalized  the  temperature,  for  I  could  not  distinguish  the  dif- 
ference. Formerly  a  magnificent  monastery  existed  here ;  but  three 
old  churches  and  ruins,  with  a  few  sickl^^-looking  monks,  are  the 
only  remains  of  its  former  splendor.  The  body  of  St.  Paul  wixs 
interred  where  the  church  of  San  Paolo-fuori-le-mura  stands,  be- 
tween the  Ostiau  Gate  and  the  Aqua  Salvias  ;  but  traditions  relate 
that  they  were  removed  with  those  of  St.  Peter  to  the  Catacombs, 
and  laid  in  the  same  tomb,  during  the  reign  of  Heliogabalus.  Two 
hundred  years  later  the  Oriental  Christians  endeavored  to  possess 
themselves  of  them ;  but  the  Western  Christians  contended  for  them 
with  success,  and  they  removed  them  to  tho  church  of  the  Vatican, 
and  placed  them  together  in  a  magnificent  shrine.  St.  Peter  and 
St.  Paul,  June  29.  Conversion  of  St.  Paul,  June  30.  See  also 
St.  Peter. 

St.  Paul.     Hermit.     See  St.  Anthony. 

St.  Paul  and  St.  John.     See  St.  John  and  St.  Paul,  brothers. 

St.  Paula  {Gr.  "Ay.  Hav'Aa)  was  a  noble  Roman  matron,  a  pupil 
and  disciple  of  St.  Jerome.  Though  descended  from  the  Scipios  and 
the  Gracchi,  and  accustomed  to  luxurious  self-indulgence,  she  pre- 
ferred to  follow  her  saintly  teacher  to  Bethlehem  and  devote  herself 
to  a  religious  life.     The  church  dedicated  to  St.  Jerome  at  Rome  is 


2,32  LEGEXDS  AND   STORIES 

said  to  be  upon  the  spot  where  tlie  house  of  Paula  stood,  in  which 
slie  entertained  that  holy  man  during  his  stay  in  Rome,  a.  d.  382. 
She  stuilied  Hebrew  in  order  to  understand  the  Scriptures  better. 
Slie  built  a  monastery,  an  hospital,  and  tliree  nunneries  at  Beth- 
lehem. Her  daughter  St.  Eustocliium  was  with  her.  The  rule  for 
these  convents  was  very  strict,  and  her  own  austerities  so  severe  that 
she  was  reprimanded  for  them  by  St.  Jerome.  Her  granddaugh- 
ter Paula  was  sent  to  her  at  Bethlehem  to  be  educated,  and  suc- 
ceeded her  as  superior  of  the  monastery.  The  elder  Paula  died 
making  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  her  lips,  and  was  buried  in  the 
church  of  the  Holy  Manger,  where  her  empty  tomb  is  now  seen 
near  that  of  St.  Jerome.  Her  relics  are  said  to  be  at  Sens.  Jan- 
uary 2G,  A.  D.  404. 

St.  Paulinus  of  York  was  sent  from  Rome  to  England  in  GOl, 
to  assist  St.  Augustine  in  his  mission.  He  became  the  first  Primate 
of  York,  where  he  founded  the  cathedral.  Wordsworth  gives  a 
word-picture  of  him  thus  :  — 

"  Of  shoulders  curved,  and  stature  tall, 
Black  hair  and  vivid  eye,  and  meagre  cheek, 
His  prominent  feature  like  an  eagle's  beak." 

By  the  preaching  of  Paulinus,  Coifi,  the  Druid  and  high-priest  of 
Thor,  was  converted.  King  Edwin  had  renounced  idolatry,  and 
given  Paulinus  license  to  preach.  When  the  king  asked  Coifi  who 
would  destroy  the  idols,  the  priest  answered,  "  I !  for  who  can  more 
properly  than  myself  destroy  those  things  which  I  worshipped  through 
ignorance  !  "  It  was  not  lawful  for  the  high-priest  to  ride,  except  on 
a  mare,  or  to  bear  arms ;  but  now  he  asked  Edwin  to  give  him  a  horse 
and  a  sword.  This  was  done,  and  he  rode  to  the  temple  and  thrust 
his  spear  in,  and  commanded  the  temple  and  idols  to  be  burned. 
Paulinus  is  often  seen  in  pictures  of  St.  Augustine.  October  10, 
A.  D.  G44. 

St.  Perpetua  was  one  of  the  martyrs  who  suffered  at  Carthage 
during  the  persecution  of  Severus.  This  saint  manifested  miracu- 
lous fortitude  in  submitting  to  her  fate.  She  was  tossed  by  a  wild 
cow  in  the  amphitheatre,  but  was  not  qiiite  killed,  and  after  great 
tortures  was  put  to  death  in  the  spoliarium,  or  ]dace  where  the 
wounded  were  despatched  by  the  gladiators.     She  had  a  vision  of  a 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  253 

narrow  ladder  which  reached  to  heaven,  beset  with  spikes,  and  a 
dragon  lay  at  the  bottom,  on  whose  head  she  must  tread  in  order  to 
mount  the  first  step.  One  scene  from  her  life,  represented  in  modern 
art,  is  her  farewell  to  her  infant  child.  There  are  many  incidents 
in  her  story  which  would  be  most  interesting  subjects  for  the  artist, 
that  as  yet  remain  without  representation.  In  her  pictures  a  cow 
stands  by  her  side  or  near  her.     March  7,  a.  d.  203. 

St.  Peter  {Lat.  S.  Petrus;   Ital  San  Pietro  or  Piero;  Fr.  St. 
Pierre;   Sp.  San  Pedro:  signification,  "a  rock").     St.  Peter  and  St. 
Paul  are  so  associated  in  history  that  it  is  quite  impossible  to  sepa- 
rate them  in  our  minds,  or  entirely  to  do  so  in  descriptions  of  them ; 
and  in  works  of  art  they  are  constantly  associated.     St.  Peter  is  a 
strong  man,  old,  with  gray  hair,  and  curling,  silvery  beard,  a  broad 
forehead,  and  an  expression  of  courage  and  confidence.     Sometimes 
he  is  bald ;  there  is  a  legend  that  the  Gentiles  shaved  his  head  in 
mockery,   and  that  from  this  originated  the  tonsure  of  the  priests. 
His  dress  is  a  blue  tunic  and  white  mantle  in  the  oldest  pictures  and 
mosaics,  but  in  later  art  it  is  a  blue  or  green  tunic  with  a  yellow 
mantle.     In  the  earliest  pictures  Peter  bears  only  a  scroll  or  book, 
and  there  is  nothing  to  distinguish  him  from  Paul  except  the  dif- 
ference in  the  head  and  features.     The  kej^s  are  not  assigned  as  his 
attribute  until  the  eighth  century.     He  has  usually  two  keys,  one 
golden  and  one  silver ;  they  are  interpreted  as  signifying  his  power 
to  bind  and  to  loose  ;  or  again,  one  as  the  key  of  heaven,  the  other 
of  hell,  when  the  first  is  of  gold  and  the  second  iron,  and  sometimes 
a  third  is  added  to  express  dominion  over  earth  also.     When  the 
traditional  differences  in  the  two  men  are  well  represented,  the  con- 
trast is  marked  and  impressive.     In  some  early  representations,  from 
the  middle  to  the  end  of  the  fourth  century,  Peter  bears  a  cross  and 
stands  on  the  left  of  Christ,  with  Paul  on  the  right.     This  cross  is 
said  to  be  the  emblem  of  the  death  he  should  die.     When  St.  Peter 
and  St.  Paul  occur  together  in  strictly  devotional  pictures,  they  are 
represented  as  the  founders  of  the  Universal  Church.     The  Church 
reveres  St.  Peter  as  its  visible  head,  and  St.  Paul  as  the  Apostle  of 
the  Gentiles.     When  St.  Peter  is  represented  in   company  with  all 
the  Apostles,  he  frequently  has  a  fish,  which  is  the  symbol  of  liis 
early  avocation  ;    but  if  the   fish  is   given   him  when   alone,    it  is 
symbolical  of  Christianity  and  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism.     When 


254  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

represented  as  the  Head  of  the  Church,  he  is  seated  on  a  throne, 
one  hand  raised  in  benediction,  while  in  the  other  he  holds  keys, 
and  often  a  book  or  scroll  inscribed  "  Thou  art  Peter,  and  on 
this  rock  have  I  built  my  Church."  Sometimes  he  wears  the  papal 
tiara.  When  another  saint  without  attributes  is  seen  with  Peter,  it 
is  Mark,  wlio  was  his  interpreter  and  amanuensis  at  Rome  ;  and  a 
tradition  relates  that  St.  Mark's  Gospel  was  written  after  the  dic- 
tation of  Peter.  The  historical  pictures,  or  those  which  represent 
scenes  in  the  life  of  Peter,  are  of  great  interest  and  almost  number- 
less, but  all  easily  recognized.  Of  the  legendary  j)ictures  those  con- 
nected with  Simon  Magus  are  important.  The  story  is,  that  Simon 
was  a  magician  of  great  fame  among  the  Jews.  He  did  wonderful 
things  at  Jerusalem,  and  greatly  astonished  the  people  ;  but  the 
miracles  of  Peter  far  excelled  the  inventions  of  the  sorcerer.  Then 
Simon  endeavored  to  buy  from  the  Apostles  the  secret  by  which 
these  miracles  were  done.  These  offers  much  enraged  Peter,  who 
rejected  them  with  great  indignation.  Simon  then  threw  away  his 
wand,  and  casting  his  books  into  the  Dead  Sea,  he  fled  to  Rome, 
where  he  became  a  favorite  of  Claudius,  and  again  of  Nero.  Peter 
also  came  to  Rome,  and  afterwards  Paul.  Simon  asserted  that  he 
was  a  god  and  could  raise  the  dead.  Peter  and  Paul  challenged  him 
to  prove  his  skill  before  the  emperor.  His  arts  failed ;  and  not  only 
then,  but  many  times  he  was  vanquished  by  the  Apostles.  At  last 
Simon  attempted  to  fly  to  heaven  in  the  sight  of  the  emperor  and 
all  Rome.  He  was  crowned  with  laurel  and  supported  hy  demons, 
and  thus  preci])itated  himself  from  a  tower.  He  appeared  to  fl(^at 
in  the  air  for  a  time ;  but  Peter  knelt  and  commanded  the  demons 
to  let  go  their  hold  of  him,  when  he  fell  to  the  earth,  was  severely 
hurt,  and  died  a  few  days  later  in  rage  and  confusion.  This  legend* 
is  not  without  solid  foundation  in  history,  as  there  existed  a  Samari- 
tan magician  by  that  name  who, assumed  to  be  God.  Irena:us  calls 
him  the  father  of  all  heretics.  He  carried  about  with  him  a  beau- 
tiful woman  called  Helena,  who  was,  he  said,  the  first  conception 
of  his  divine  mind.     He  presented  her  as  being  the  resuscitation  of  ^ 

^  It  rests  on  the  testimony  of  Christian  Fathers,  as  Sis.  Justin,  Anihrose, 
Cyril,  of  Jerusiilcin,  Angiistini*,  Pliilastrius,  Isidore  of  relubiuui,  TheoJorct,  etc.; 
and  of  tlie  pagan  writer,  Dion  Chrysostomus. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  255 

Helen  of  Troy.  In  the  church  of  St.  Francesca  Romana  at  Rome, 
there  are  two  stones  let  into  the  wall,  bearing  a  double  depression, 
made,  it  is  said,  by  St.  Peter's  kneeling  on  them  when  Simon  Magus 
was  attempting  his  heavenward  flight.  Another  legend  relates  that, 
after  the  burning  of  Rome,  Nero  accused  the  Christians  of  having 
fired  the  city.  This  was  the  origin  of  the  first  persecution.  The 
Christians  besought  St.  Peter  to  save  himself  by  flight,  which  he  at 
length  consented  to  do.  He  departed  by  the  Appian  Way,  and  when 
about  two  miles  from  the  city  he  met  a  vision  of  Our  Saviour.  Peter 
exclaimed,  "Lord,  w^hither  goest  thou?"  Looking  sadly  upon  him, 
Christ  replied,  "  I  go  to  Rome  to  be  crucified  a  second  time."  Peter 
understood  this  as  a  warning  that  he  ought  to  return  to  Rome,  which 
he  did.  This  is  called  the  "  Domine,  quo  vadis?"  when  illustrated. 
In  the  little  church  erected  on  the  spot  sanctified  by  this  miracle,  is 
shown  a  slab  containing  footprints,  said  to  be  those  made  by  the  feet 
of  Christ,  as  he  talked  with  Peter.  After  Peter's  return  to  Rome  he 
preached  and  labored  as  usual,  until  he  was  seized  with  St.  Paul  and 
thrown  into  the  Mamertine  Prison.  Here  the  centurions  who  guarded 
them.  Processus  and  Martinian,  and  many  prisoners,  were  converted. 
When  St.  Peter  wished  to  baptize  them  and  there  was  no  water,  he 
prayed  to  God  and  a  fountain  sprung  up  from  the  stone  floor, 
which  may  still  be  seen.  It  was  not  long  till  the  two  Apostles  were 
martyred.  The  traditions  disagree  in  regard  to  the  place  where  St. 
Peter  suflTered.  According  to  one,  he  w^as  crucified  with  his  head 
downward  in  the  courtyard  of  a  military  station  on  the  summit  of 
Mons  Janicula,  where  the  church  of  San  Pietro  in  Montorio  now 
stands;  but  according  to  another,  his  crucifixion  took  place  in  the 
Circus  of  Caligula,  at  the  foot  of  the  Vatican.  The  legends  make 
St.  Peter  the  keeper  of  the  entrance  to  Paradise.  The  church  of 
San  Pietro  in  Vincoli  at  Rome  was  built  by  Eudoxia,  wife  of  Valen- 
tinian  III.,  and  in  it  were  preserved  the  chains  with  which  St.  Peter 
was  bound  at  Jerusalem.  The  chains  are  preserved  in  a  bronze 
tabernacle  in  the  sacristy,  and  are  shown  to  the  people  on  the  festival 
of  St.  Peter  in  Vinculis  on  the  first  of  August.  St.  Peter  and  St. 
Paul,  June  20. 

St."  Peter  of  Alcantara  was  not  canonized  until  1G69.  Accord- 
ing to  the  legend,  he  walked  on  the  sea  by  faith.  In  a  picture  in  the 
Munich  Gallery,  he  not  only  walks  himself,  but  a  lay  brother  goes 


25o  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

with  liim,  whom  Peter  seems  to  eucourage  bj  pointing  to  heaven. 
October  19,  a.  d.  15G2. 

St.  Peter  Exorcista  and  Marcellinus  (Ifal.  SS.  Pietro  e 
MarccUino).  Tliese  saints  are  always  represented  together.  Ac- 
cording to  the  legend,  tiiey  were  imprisoned  dnring  the  last  persecu- 
tion of  Diocletian.  Their  jailer,  Artemius,  had  a  danghter,  Paulina, 
wlio  was  sick.  Peter  promised  to  restore  her  to  health  if  Artemius 
would  believe  in  God.  Then  Artemius  ridiculed  him,  saying,  "  If  I 
put  thee  into  the  deepest  dungeon,  and  load  thee  with  heavier  chains, 
will  tliy  God  then  deliver  theeT'  Then  Peter  told  him  that  it  mat- 
tered little  to  God  whether  he  believed  or  not;  but  that  Christ  might 
be  glorified,  he  desired  that  it  should  be  done.  And  it  was  so  ;  and 
in  the  night  Peter  and  Marcellinus,  dressed  in  shining  white  gar- 
ments, came  to  Artemius  in  his  own  chamber.  Then  he  believed, 
and  was  baptized  with  all  his  family  and  three  hundred  others. 
"When  the  saints  were  to  die,  it  was  ordered  that  the  executioner 
should  take  them  to  a  forest  three  miles  from  Rome,  in  order  that 
the  Christians  should  not  know  of  their  burial-place.  So  when  they 
were  come  to  a  solitary  place  and  the  executioner  pointed  it 
out  as  the  spot  where  they  were  to  die,  they  themselves  cleared 
a  space,  and  dug  their  graves,  and  died  encouraging  each  other. 
They  are  represented  in  priestly  habits,  bearing  palms.  June  2, 
about  304. 

St.  Peter  Martyr.  St.  Peter  the  Dominican  (Ital.  San  Pietro, 
or  Pier,  jNIartiro ;  /V.  St.  Pierre  le  Dominicain,  Martyr).  This 
saint  is  esteemed  next  to  St.  Dominick  by  his  order,  lie  was  boru 
at  Verona  about  1205.  His  parents  were  of  the  heretical  sect  called 
Cathari,  but  Peter  went  to  a  Catholic  school.  He  was  beaten  at 
home  for  reciting  the  creed.  St.  Dominick  found  him  a  zealous 
disciple,  when  at  Verona,  and  he  persuaded  him  to  unite  with  his 
order  at  the  early  age  of  fifteen.  Peter  was  a  successful  preacher, 
and  addressed  himself  earnestly  to  the  conversion  of  the  Cathari. 
He  was  made  Inquisitor  General  under  Pope  Honorius  III.  The 
Cathari  hated  hiui,  and  hired  assassins  who  watched  that  they 
might  kill  him  in  a  forest  where  they  knew  he  would  i)ass  un- 
accompanied, save  by  a  single  monk.  When  he  appeared  one  of 
the  muiderers  struck  him  down  with  an  axe.  They  tlion  ])ursucd 
and  killed,  his  attendant.     When  they  returned  to  St.  Peter  he  was 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  257 

reciting  the  Apostles'  Creed,  or,  as  others  say,  was  writing  it  on  the 
ground  with  his  blood,  when  the  assassins  completed  their  cruel  work. 
Fra  Bartolomeo  painted  the  head  of  his  beloved  Jerome  Savonarola 
as  St.  Peter  Martyr.  He  is  represented  in  the  habit  of  his  order, 
and  bears  the  crucifix  and  palm.  His  more  peculiar  attribute  is 
either  the  axe  stuck  in  his  head,  or  a  gash  from  which  the  blood 
trickles.     April  28,  a.  d.   1252. 

St.  Peter  Nolasco  (*S^;.  San  Pedro  Nolasco)  was  a  convert  of 
St.  John  de  Matha.  When  young,  he  enlisted  in  the  crusade  against 
the  Albigenses.  He  was  the  son  of  a  noble  of  Languedoc,  and  be- 
came the  tutor  of  the  young  King  James  of  Aragon,  or  Don  Jayme  el 
Conquistador.  But  being  much  moved  at  the  consideration  of  the 
sufferings  of  captives,  he  founded  a  new  order  called  "  The  Order  of 
Our  Lady  of  Mercy  "  (Xuestra  Sefiora  de  la  Merced).  At  first  the  order 
was  military,  consisting  of  knights  and  gentlemen ;  and  the  king  placed 
himself  at  their  head,  and  gave  them  his  arms  as  a  device  or  badge. 
The  order  was  very  popular,  and  soon  extended  itself  on  all  sides. 
Peter  Nolasco  was  the  superior,  and  spent  his  life  in  expeditions  to 
the  provinces  under  the  Moors,  from  which  he  brought  back  hun- 
dreds of  redeemed  captives.  In  time  the  order  changed  its  character 
from  that  of  a  military  to  that  of  a  religious  institution.  Accord- 
ing to  tradition,  when  Peter  was  old,  he  was  taken  from  his  cell 
by  angels,  and  borne  to  and  from  the  altar  whore  he  received 
the  Holy  Eucharist.  He  is  represented  as  old,  with  a  white 
habit  and  the  shield  of  King  James  on  his  breast.  January  13, 
A.  D.   1258. 

St.  Peter  Regalato.  This  saint  appears  in  the  later  Italian 
and  Spanish  pictures  of  the  Franciscans,  to  which  order  he  belonged. 
He  was  especially  distinguished  for  his  sublime  gift  of  prayer. 
March  30,  a.  d.  1456. 

St.  Petronilla  {Fr.  Ste.  Pernelle)  was  the  daughter  of  St. 
Peter.  When  at  Rome  with  him,  she  was  deprived  of  the  use  of 
her  limbs  by  sickness.  One  day,  when  some  of  his  disciples  sat  at 
dinner  with  the  Apostle,  they  asked  why  it  was  that  when  he  healed 
others  his  own  child  remained  helpless.  Peter  replied  that  it  was 
good  for  her  to  be  ill ;  but,  that  the  glory  of  God  should  be  mani- 
fest, he  commanded  her  to  rise  and  serve  them.  This  she  did,  and 
•when  the  dinner  was  over  lay  down  helpless  as  before.     Years  after, 

17 


258  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

when  she  had  become  perfected  by  suffering,  she  was  made  well  in 
answer  to  her  earnest  prayers.  Now  Petronilla  was  very  beautiful, 
and  a  young  noble,  Valerius  Flaccus,  desired  to  marry  her.  She 
was  afraid  to  refuse  him,  and  promised  that  if  he  returned  in  three 
days  ho  sliould  carry  her  home.  Slie  then  earnestly  prayed  to  be 
delivered  from  this  marriage ;  and  when  the  lover  came  with  his 
friends  to  celebrate  the  marriage,  he  found  her  dead.  Flaccus  la- 
mented sorely.  The  attendant  nobles  bore  her  to  her  grave,  in  which 
they  placed  her  crowned  with  roses.     May  31. 

St.  Petronius  was  bishop  of  Bologna,  and  distinguished  himself 
by  his  zeal  against  the  Arian  heresy.  He  was  a  Roman  of  an 
illustrious  family.  His  pictures  are  confined  to  Bologna;  and  there 
is  in  that  city  a  beautiful  church  dedicated  in  his  name.  He  is 
represented  in  episcopal  robes,  with  mitre  and  crosier.  lie  has  a 
thick  black  beard  in  an  ancient  representation,  but  generally  is  with- 
out it.  His  attribute  is  a  model  of  Bologna,  which  he  holds  in  his 
hand.     October  4,  a.  d.  430. 

St.  Philip  {Ital.  San  Filippo  Apostolo ;  Fr.  St.  Philippe).  St. 
Philip  was  born  at  Bethsaida.  Beyond  the  fact  that  he  was  the  first 
called  to  follow  the  Saviour,  little  is  told  of  him  in  the  Gospel.  After 
the  ascension  of  Christ  he  preached  in  Scythia  twenty  years.  Then 
going  to  Hieropolis  in  Phrygia,  he  found  the  people  worshipping  a 
huge  serpent  or  dragon,  whom  they  thought  to  be  a  personification 
of  Mars.  Then  Philip  took  pity  on  their  ignorance.  He  held  up 
the  cross  and  commanded  the  serpent  to  disappear.  Immediately  it 
glided  from  beneath  the  altar,  and  as  it  moved  it  sent  forth  so  dread- 
ful an  odor  that  many  died,  and  among  them  the  son  of  the  king ; 
but  Philip  restored  him  to  life.  Then  the  priests  of  the  serpent  were 
so  wrotli  with  the  Apostle  that  they  crucified  him,  and  when  he  was 
fastened  to  the  cross  they  stoned  him.  The  Scriptures  state  that 
Philip  htid  four  daughters  who  did  prophesy  (Acts  xxi.  9).  St.  Ma- 
riamne,  his  sister,  and  his  daughter  St.  Hermione,  are  martyrs  in  the 
Greek  Calendar.  St.  Philip  is  represented  as  a  man  of  middle  age, 
scanty  beard,  and  benevolent  face.  His  attribute  is  a  cross  which 
varies  in  form,  —  sometimes  a  small  cross  in  his  hand;  again  a 
high  cross  in  the  form  of  a  T,  or  a  staff  with  a  small  cross  at  the 
top.  It  has  three  significations  :  it  may  represent  the  power  of  the 
cross  which  he  held  before  the  dragon  ;    or  his  martyrdom ;  or  his 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  259 

mission  as  a  preacher  of  the  cross  of  Christ.     Patron  of  Brabant  and 
Luxembourg.     May  1. 

St.  Philip,  Deacon  {Gr.  'Ay.  ^iXnnro^).  It  is  necessary  to  dis- 
tinguish him  from  the  Apostle.  It  was  Philip  the  deacon,  who  bap- 
tized the  chamberlain  of  Queen  Candace.  This  baptism  has  been 
beautifully  illustrated  in  art.     June  6. 

St.  Philip  Benozzi  {Ital.  San  Filippo  Beniti,  or  Benizzi)  stands 
at  tlie  head  of  the  Order  of  the  Servi,  or  Serviti,  at  Florence.  He 
was  not  the  founder  of  the  order,  not  having  joined  it  until  fifteen 
years  after  its  establishment,  but  he  is  its  principal  saint.  The 
history  of  the  origin  of  this  order  is  full  of  interest,  and  an  outline 
of  it  may  be  given  in  few  words.  It  originated  about  the  year  1232. 
Seven  rich  Florentine  nobles,  in  the  prime  of  life,  were  accustomed 
to  meet  every  day  in  the  Chapel  of  the  Annunziata  to  sing  the  Ave, 
or  evening  service  in  honor  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  whom  they  espe- 
cially venerated.  They  became  so  well  known  for  these  pious  acts 
that  the  women  and  children  cried  out  as  they  passed,  "  Behold  the 
servants  of  the  Virgin  ! "  (''  Guardate  i  Servi  di  Maria  ! ")  At  length 
they  resolved  to  dispense  their  goods  to  the  poor  and  forsake  the 
world.  They  retired  to  Monte  Senario,  about  six  miles  from  Florence, 
where  they  built  huts,  and  lived  for  the  service  of  the  Virgin.  Their 
first  habit  was  plain  white  in  honor  of  the  immaculate  purity  of 
Mary ;  but  one  of  the  number  was  warned  in  a  vision  that  they 
should  change  it  to  black,  in  remembrance  of  her  "  maternal  sorrow 
and  the  death  of  her  Divine  Son."  These  men,  being  allied  to  the 
proudest  families  of  Florence,  drew  much  attention  to  their  order, 
and  the  city  became  proud  of  them.  St.  Philip  Benozzi  had  studied 
medicine  at  the  Universities  of  Paris  and  Padua,  and  was  a  very 
learned  man  ;  but  after  receiving  his  degrees  and  commencing  the 
practice  of  surgery  in  Florence,  he  became  greatly  wearied  and 
opj)ressed  with  the  sight  and  knowledge  of  human  suffering.  One 
day,  as  he  listened  to  the  service  in  the  chapel  of  the  Annunziata,  he 
w^as  impressed  by  the  words,  "  Draw  near,  and  join  thyself  to  the 
chariot."  He  went  home  full  of  thought  upon  these  words,  and 
when  he  slept  he  had  a  vision  of  the  Virgin  seated  in  a  chariot,  and 
she  told  him  to  draw  near  and  join  her  servants.  Then  he  retired 
to  Monte  Senario  ;  hut  such  was  his  modestv  that  it  was  louLr  before 
the  brethren  understood  the  extent  of  his  learning.     He  diat^gfiifehed 


260  LEGEXDS   AND   STORIES 

himself  as  a  preacher,  but  far  more  as  a  peacemaker,  for  he  did  much 
to  reconcile  the  then  opposing  factions  of  Tuscany.  He  obtained  the 
confirmation  of  his  order,  and  preached  with  great  success  through 
Italy  and  France.  He  was  General  of  his  order  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  The  pictures  of  Andrea  del  Sarto  in  the  cloisters  of  the 
Annunziata  at  Florence  have  still  further  immortalized  this  saint. 
These  were  painted  after  his  beatification  by  Leo  X.,  a.  d.  1516; 
but  his  canonization  did  not  take  place  until  1G71.  August  23, 
A.D.   1285. 

St.  Philip  Neri  (Ital.  San  Filippo  Xeri),  the  founder  of  the 
Order  of  tlie  Oratoriaus,  was  a  Florentine,  and  born  in  1515.  His 
father  was  of  one  of  the  oldest  Tuscan  families,  and  a  lawyer.  When 
eighteen  years  of  age,  Philip  went  to  Rome,  and  became  a  tutor  in 
a  noble  family.  By  his  intellect,  eloquence,  and  purity  of  character, 
he  became  very  influential  in  the  religious  movements  of  his  time. 
He  was  the  intimate  friend  and  almoner  of  St.  Charles  Borromeo,  and 
in  this  capacity  did  much  good.  He  was  ever  employed  in  works  of 
charity,  and  gathered  about  him  young  men,  members  of  the  nobility 
and  of  the  learned  professions,  who  went  about  reading  and  praying 
with  the  sick  and  needy,  founding  and  visiting  hospitals,  and  doing 
various  charities.  They  were  bound  by  no  vows,  and  were  not  secluded 
from  the  world.  They  called  themselves  Oratoriaus,  and  from  them 
arose  the  P^res  de  I'Oratoire  of  France.^  St.  Philip  Neri  was  the 
spiritual  adviser  of  the  Massimi  fjimily ;  and  it  is  related  that  when 
the  son  and  heir  of  Prince  Fabrizio  Massimi  died  of  a  fever,  St. 
Philip  came  into  the  chamber  where  the  family  were  lamenting  over 
his  dead  body.  Philip  laid  his  hand  on  the  head  of  the  boy,  and 
called  his  name  ;  he  opened  his  eyes  and  sat  up.  Philip  then  said, 
"Art  thou  unwilling  to  die]"  "No,"  replied  the  boy.  "Art  thou 
resigned  to  yield  thy  soul  to  Godl"  "  I  am."  "  Then  go,"  said  Piiilip  ; 
and  the  boy  sank  back  and  expired  with  a  sweet  smile  upon  his  face. 
On  the  IGth  of  March  the  Palazzo  Massimi  at  Home  is  dressed  for 
a  festival  in  honor  of  this  event,  and  services  are  held  in  the  chapel, 
at  wliich  sometimes  the  Pope  officiates.  A  |)icture  illustrative  of 
this  miracle    is   in    the   church  of  S.  Maria  della  Vallicella,   which 

1  Also,  the  Oratoriaus  of  Enj^lund,  of  \vli()iii  tlio  late  Frctleric  Wilfrid  Faber, 
poet  and  ascetic  writer,  was,  and  Cardinal  Newman  is,  a  devoted  member. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  261 

was  given  to  the  Oratorians  when  their  order  was  confirmed.  In 
this  church  a  chapel  was  dedicated  to  St.  Philip  Neri,  and  a  mosaic 
copy  of  Guido's  picture  of  this  saint  was  placed  there  by  Nero  de' 
Neri  of  Florence.  The  bed,  the  crucifix,  the  books,  and  other  reHcs 
of  the  saint  are  preserved  in  the  oratory.     May  2G,  a.  d.  1595. 

St.  Phocas  of  Sinope  (Ital.  San  Foca).  This  saint  lived  in 
the  third  century.  He  had  a  cottage  and  garden  near  the  Gate  of 
Sinope,  in  Pontus.  His  cottage  was  open  to  all  who  needed  shelter 
and  lodging,  and  the  produce  of  his  garden  was  distributed  to  the 
poor  after  his  own  slight  wants  were  supplied.  As  he  sat  at  supper 
one  night,  some  strangers  knocked  at  his  door.  He  asked  them  to 
enter,  gave  them  water  to  wash,  and  set  food  for  them.  Later  in  the 
evening  they  told  him  they  had  been  sent  to  find  Phocas,  who  had 
been  accused  as  a  Christian,  and  they  had  been  commanded  to  kill 
him  wherever  he  should  be  found.  Tlie  saint  betrayed  no  emotion, 
and  gave  them  a  chamber  in  which  to  sleep.  When  all  were  at  rest, 
he  went  to  his  garden  and  made  a  grave  among  the  flowers  he  loved. 
In  the  morning  he  announced  that  Phocas  was  found.  The  guests 
rejoiced,  and  said,  "Where  is  hel"  But  when  he  answered,  "I  am 
he,"  they  were  unwilling  to  betray  their  host.  Then  he  said,  "  Since 
it  is  the  will  of  God,  I  am  willing  to  die  in  his  cause."  Then  they 
beheaded  him  on  the  border  of  the  grave,  and  buried  him.  This 
saint  is  represented  only  in  Bj'zantine  art.  He  is  in  the  garb  of  a 
gardener,  and  has  a  spade  as  his  attribute.  Patron  of  gardens  and 
gardeners.     July  3,  a.d.  303. 

St.  Placidus  was  the  son  of  Tertullus,  a  Roman  Senator,  who 
placed  this  child  under  the  care  of  St.  Benedict,  at  Subiaco,  when 
only  five  years  of  age.  Placidus  was  sent  by  his  superior  to  preach 
in  Sicily  when  he  was  still  quite  yonng.  According  to  tradition  his 
sister  Flavia  and  two  young  brothers  joined  him,  and  they  dwelt  in 
a  convent  near  Messina.  Tliis  was  attacked  by  brigands,  who  mas- 
sacred Placidus  and  Flavia,  with  thirty  of  their  companions.  The 
later  Benedictine  writers  do  not  believe  the  account  of  this  massacre. 
He  is  represented  in  the  black  habit  of  his  order,  or  with  the  rich 
dalmatica  above  a  black  tunic.  The  palm  is  his  attribute.  January 
15,  A.  D.  584. 

Plautilla,  though  not  a  canonized  saint,  is  seldom  omitted  in  rep- 
resentations of  the  martyrdom  of  St.  Paul.     According  to  the  legend, 


262  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

she  was  a  Roman  matron,  and  one  of  the  converts  of  St.  Peter  and 
St.  Paul.  She  phiced  herself  on  the  way  by  which  she  knew  that 
St.  Paul  would  j)ass  to  his  martyrdom,  in  order  to  see  him  for  the 
last  time.  When  he  came,  she  besought  him  to  bless  her,  and  wept 
greatly.  Then  Paul  seeing  her  faith  asked  her  to  give  him  her  veil, 
that  he  might  bind  liis  eyes  with  it  when  he  was  beheaded,  and 
promised  that  he  would  return  it  to  her  after  his  death.  Then  all 
who  heard  mocked  at  this  promise,  but  Plautilla  gave  him  the  veil ; 
and  after  his  death  St.  Paul  did  indeed  appear  to  her,  and  gave  her 
again  the  veil,  which  was  stained  with  his  blood. 

St.  Potitus  of  Pisa  (/A//.  San  Potito).     See  St.  Ephesus. 

St.  Praxedes  nnd  St.  Pudentiana  {ItaL  Santa  Prassede  e  Santa 
Pudenziana;  Fr.  Ste.  Prassede  et  Ste.  Potentienne).  When  St.  Peter 
came  to  Rome,  he  dwelt  in  the  house  of  Pudens,  who  was  a  patrician  of 
great  wealth.  Not  long  after  the  coming  of  the  Apostle,  Pudens  and 
Sabinella,  his  wife,  with  Novatus  his  son,  and  his  two  daughteis, 
Praxedes  and  Pudentiana,  were  all  converted  and  baptized.  Soon 
after,  the  parents  and  brother  died  ;  and  the  sisters,  left  alone,  inherited 
all  the  riches  of  the  family.  They  had  houses  and  public  baths  at 
the  foot  of  the  Esquiline.  Then  began  the  first  great  persecution, 
in  which  St.  Peter  perished.  Ivovv  the  sisters  determined  to  devote 
themselves  to  the  relief  and  care  of  the  suffering  Christians  and  to 
the  burying  of  the  bodies  of  such  as  were  slain.  They  had  the  assist- 
ance of  a  holy  man  named  Pastorus,  who  was  devoted  in  their  service. 
They  shrank  from  nothing  that  came  in  the  way  of  their  self  imposed 
duties.  They  sought  out  and  received  into  their  houses  such  as  were 
torn  and  mutilated  by  tortures.  They  visited  and  fed  such  as  were 
in  prison.  They  took  up  the  bodies  of  the  martyred  ones  which 
were  cast  out  without  burial,  and  carefully  washing  and  shrouding 
them,  they  laid  them  reverently  in  the  caves  beneath  their  houses. 
All  tlie  l)l()od  they  collected  with  sponges,  and  dcjiosited  in  a  certain 
well.  Thus  boldly  the}'  showed  forth  the  faith  which  was  in  them; 
and  yet  they  escaped  persecution  and  martyrdom,  and  died  peacefully 
and  were  buried  in  the  cemetery  of  Priscilla.  Pastorus  wrote  a  history 
of  their  deeds  and  virtues.  Their  house,  which  was  made  holy  not 
only  by  their  lives  but  by  the  preaching  of  St.  Peter,  was  consecrated 
as  a  ])lacc  of  Christian  worship  by  Pope  Pius  I.  Their  churches  are 
among  the  interesting  remains  of  ancient  Rome.     In  the  nave  of  the 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  263 

church  of  Santa  Prassede  is  a  well  in  which  she  was  said  to  have 
put  the  blood  of  those  who  suffered  on  the  Esquiline,  while  the 
holy  sponge  is  preserved  in  a  silver  shrine  in  the  sacristy.  In  the 
church  of  St.  Pudentiana  there  is  a  well,  said  to  contain  the  relics 
of  three  thousand  martyrs.  These  sisters  are  pictured  as  richly 
draped,  and  the  sponge  and  cup  are  their  especial  attributes.  July  21 
and  May  19,  a.  d.  148. 

St.  Prisca.  The  church  of  this  saint,  at  Rome,  on  the  Aventine, 
is  supposed  to  occupy  the  spot  on  which  stood  the  house  of  Aquila 
and  Priscilla,  where  St.  Peter  lodged ;  which  site  was  thought  to  be 
also  that  of  the  Temple  of  Diana,  founded  by  Servius  Tullius.  And 
here  is  shown  the  font  in  which  St.  Peter  baptized  the  earliest  con- 
verts in  Rome,  and  among  others  St.  Prisca.  According  to  the 
legend,  she  was  a  virgin  of  illustrious  family,  and  was  exposed  to  the 
beasts  of  the  amphitheatre  when  but  thirteen  years  of  age.  A  fierce 
lion,  who  was  let  loose  upon  her,  humbly  licked  her  feet,  to  the  joy  of 
the  Christians.  She  was  then  beheaded,  and  an  eagle  watched  over 
her  body  until  it  was  buried.  She  is  represented  bearing  a  palm  with 
the  lion  beside  her,  and  sometimes  the  eagle,  thus  being  honored  by 
the  kings  of  both  beasts  and  birds,  as  the  legend  remarks.  The 
name  of  St.  Prisca  is  retained  in  the  Anglican  calendar,  January  18, 
A.  D.  275. 

St.  Procopius  was  King  of  Bohemia.  He  relinquished  his  crown 
and  became  a  hermit.  Many  years  passed  without  his  being  known ; 
but  at  length,  as  a  certain  Prince  Ulrich  was  hunting,  he  pursued  a 
hind,  which  fled  for  safety  to  the  arms  of  St.  Procopius,  and  so 
the  saint  was  discovered.  On  account  of  the  similarity  of  the  attri- 
bute, his  pictures  are  sometimes  mistaken  for  those  of  St.  Giles. 
July  8,  A.  D.   303. 

St.  Proculus  is  the  military  patron  of  Bologna.  In  the  time 
of  the  tenth  persecution  a  cruel  man  named  Marinus  was  sent  to 
Bologna  to  enforce  the  edict  of  the  emperor.  Proculus  was  so  filled 
with  indignation,  which  might  perhaps  be  called  holy,  that  he  entered 
the  house  of  Marinus  and  killed  him  with  an  axe,  which  axe  is  the 
attribute  given  the  saint  in  art.  He  sometimes  carries  a  head  in  his 
hands,  which  may  be  either  that  of  Marinus  or  his  own.^ 

St.  Protasius  of  Milan.     See  St.  Gervasius. 

*  This  legend  of  St.  Proculus  is  among  the  unauthorized  legends. 


264  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

St.  Pudentiana  {Ital.  Santa  Pudenziana;  Fr.  Ste.  Potentienne). 
See  St.  Praxedes. 

Quattro  Coronati,  or  the  Four  Crowned  Brothers.  According 
to  tradition  tliese  were  four  Christian  brothers,  workers  in  wood  and 
stone,  who  dwelt  in  liome  in  the  time  of  Diocletian.  They  refused 
to  employ  their  art  in  fashioning  gods  or  building  temples  for  them, 
and  for  this  suftered  martyrdom.  Some  were  scourged,  some  be- 
headed, and  some  put  in  iron  cages  and  cast  into  the  sea.  The 
"Cinque  Martiri"  were  also  of  the  same  trades,  and  their  fate  the 
same.  The  names  of  the  Coronati  are  given  as  SS.  Carpophorus, 
Severus,  Severianus,  and  Victorianus.  The  church  dedicated  to  them 
is  on  that  part  of  the  Coelian  Hill  which  extends  from  the  Lateran  to 
the  Coliseum.  It  is  said  that  their  remains  were  found  here  during 
the  fourth  century.  Their  title  of  Coronati  alludes  to  the  crown  of 
martyrdom.  The  five  martyrs  (I  Cinque  Martiri)  are  honored  at 
the  same  time  and  place  with  the  Coronati,  and  they  are  represented 
in  art  with  the  implements  of  their  trade,  —  the  mallet,  chisel, 
square,  and  rule,  bearing  palms  and  wearing  crowns.  Kovember  4, 
A.  D.  400. 

St.  Quintin  was  the  son  of  Zeno.  He  became  converted,  and 
gave  up  a  high  command  which  he  held  in  the  Roman  army  in  order 
to  preach.  He  labored  especially  in  Belgium  and  at  Amiens.  He 
was  accused  before  the  prefect  Kictius  Varus,  and  suffered  death  by 
being  impaled  on  an  iron  spit.  This  instrument  of  his  torture  is  his 
attribute,  which  is  not  always  represented.     October  31,  a.  d.  287. 

St.  Quirinus  was  a  soldier  in  the  army  of  Aurelian.  He  became 
a  Christian,  and  preached  so  openly  as  especially  to  exasperate  his 
officers,  who  were  pagans.  His  martyrdom  was  extreme  in  cruelty. 
His  tongue  was  first  taken  out  and  thrown  to  a  hawk.  He  was  then 
dra^^ged  to  death  by  horses.  He  is  represented  in  armor,  with  a  horse 
and  a  hawk  and  a  shield,  with  nine  balls  as  well  as  the  martjVs 
palm. 

St.  Quirinus,  Bishop  of  Sissek  in  Croatia.  He  was  martyred  by 
being  drowned  with  a  millstone  about  his  neck.  One  of  the  eight 
guardian  saints  of  Austria.     June  4,  a.  d.  309. 

St.  Radegunda  was  the  daughter  of  the  King  of  Thuringia, 
Bcrthairo,  and  tlio  wife  of  Clothairc  V.  of  France,  who  first  carried 
her  captive  with  all  her  family,  and  afterwards  married  her.     This 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  265 

queen  was  devoted  to  prayer  and  almsgiving,  and  often  wore  beneath 
her  royal  garments  a  robe  of  penitential  luiir-clotli.  One  day,  as  slie 
walked  in  her  garden,  she  heard  the  prisoners,  who  were  separated 
from  her  only  by  a  wall,  weeping  and  imploring  pity.  She  tliought 
of  her  own  sorrows  in  the  past,  and  she  prayed  earnestly  for  tiiem, 
not  knowing  how  else  to  aid  them ;  and  as  she  prayed  their  fetters 
burst  asunder  and  they  were  freed  from  captivity.  Later  in  life 
Radegunda  took  the  religious  habit,  and  founded  a  monastery  at 
Poitiers.  She  is  represented  with  the  royal  crown,  and  beneath  it  a 
long  veil.  A  captive  kneels  before  her  with  his  broken  fetters  in  his 
hand.     August  13,  a.  d.  587. 

Ragnar  Lodbrog.     See  St.  Edmund. 

St.  Ranieri  {Ital.  San  Ranieri;  Fr.  St.  Regnier).  The  whole 
life  of  this  saint  was  full  of  poetry  and  mystery.  He  was  born  in 
or  about  the  year  1100.  His  family  was  that  of  the  Scaccieri  of 
Pisa.  In  his  youth  an  eagle  appeared  to  him  bearing  in  his  beak  a 
blazing  light,  and  said,  "  I  come  from  Jerusalem  to  enlighten  the 
nations."  But  Ranieri  lived  a  life  devoted  to  pleasure.  At  length, 
as  he  one  day  played  the  lyre  surrounded  by  beautiful  damsels,  a 
holy  man  passed  by  who  turned  and  looked  on  Ranieri ;  and  there 
was  so  'much  of  sorrow  in  his  gaze  that  the  young  man  threw 
down  his  lyre  and  followed  the  man  of  God,  bewailing  and  weeping 
his  own  sins  and  his  wasted  life.  Soon  he  embarked  for  Jeru- 
salem, where  he  took  off  his  own  garments  and  w^ore  the  schiavina, 
or  slave-shirt,  and  this  he  wore  ever  after  for  personal  humiliation. 
He  lived  the  life  of  a  hermit,  in  the  deserts  of  Palestine,  for  twenty 
years.  During  this  time  he  had  numerous  visions.  On  one  occa- 
sion he  felt  his  vows  of  abstinence  to  be  almost  more  than  he  could 
keep.  He  then  had  a  vision  of  a  golden  vase  set  with  precious 
stones  and  full  of  oil,  pitch,  and  sulphur.  These  were  kindled  to  fire, 
and  none  could  quench  the  flames.  Then  there  was  put  into  his 
hands  a  small  ewer  of  water,  and  when  he  turned  on  but  a  few  drops 
the  fire  was  extinguished.  This  vision  he  believed  to  signify  the 
human  passions,  by  the  pitch  and  sulphur ;  but  the  water  was  the 
emblem  of  temperance.  He  then  determined  to  live  on  bread  and 
water  alone.  His  reverence  for  water  was  very  great ;  and  most  of  his 
miracles  were  performed  through  the  use  of  it,  so  that  he  was  called 
San   Ranieri   dell'  Acqua.     But  when  he  tarried   with  a  host   who 


266  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

cheated  his  guests  by  putting  water  in  his  wine,  the  saint  did  not 
hesitate  to  expose  the  fraud ;  for  he  revealed  to  all  present  the  tigure 
of  Satan  sitting  on  one  of  the  wine-casks  in  the  form  of  a  huge  cat 
with  the  wings  of  a  bat.  He  did  many  miracles  after  his  return  to 
Pisa,  and  made  converts  by  the  sanctity  of  his  life  and  example. 
When  he  died,  many  miraculous  manifestations  bore  witness  to  his 
eminent  holiness.  All  the  bells  in  Pisa  were  spontaneously  tolled,  and 
the  Archbishop  Villani,  who  had  been  sick  in  bed  for  two  years,  was 
cured  to  attend  his  funeral.  At  the  place  in  the  Requiem  Mass 
where  it  is  the  custom  to  omit  the  "  Gloria  in  Excelsis,"  it  was  sung 
by  a  choir  of  angels  above  the  altar,  while  the  organ  accompanied 
them  without  being  played  by  any  perceptible  hands.  The  harmony 
of  this  chant  was  so  exquisite  that  those  who  heard  it  thought  the 
very  heavens  were  opened.  He  was  buried  in  a  tomb  in  the  Duomo. 
After  the  plague  in  Pisa  in  1356,  the  life  of  this  saint  was  painted  in 
the  Campo  Santo  by  Simone  Memmi  and  Antonio  Veneziauo.  These 
frescos  are  most  important  in  the  histor}'  of  art,  and  consist  of  eight 
scenes  from  the  life  of  St.  Ranieri :  (1)  His  Conversion;  (2)  He  em- 
barks for  Palestine:  (3)  He  assumes  the  Hermit's  Dress;  (4)  He  has 
many  Temptations  and  Visions  in  the  Desert ;  (5)  He  returns  to  Pisa  ; 
(G)  He  exposes  the  Fraud  of  the  Innkeeper ;  (7)  His  Death  and  Funeral 
Obsequies  ;  {><)  His  Miracles  after  Death.     July  17,  a.  D.  11  Gl. 

St.  Raphael,  the  Archangel  (Lat.  S.  Raphael;  Ital.  San 
RafFaello ;  Fr.  St.  Raphael ;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Rafael :  signification, 
"  the  medicine  of  God  ").  Raphael  is  considered  the  guardian  angel 
of  humanity.  He  was  sent  to  warn  Adam  of  the  danger  of  sin  and 
its  unhappy  consequences. 

**  Be  strong,  live  happy,  and  love  !  but  first  of  all 
Him  whom  to  love  is  to  obey,  and  keep 
Ilis  great  command  ;  take  heed  lest  passion  sway 
Tliy  judgment  to  do  aught  which  else  free-will 
Would  not  admit ;  thine,  and  of  all  thy  sons 
The  weal  or  woe  in  thee  is  placed  ;  beware  !  " 

Milton. 

He  was  the  herald  who  bore  to  the  shepherds  the  **  good  tidings  of 
great  joy  which  shall  be  for  all  people."  He  is  especially  the  pro- 
tector of  the  young,  the  pilgrim,  and  the  traveller.     In  the  Scripture  * 

1  The  Church  includes  the  Book  of  Tobias  among  the  inspired  writings. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  267 

his  watchful  care  of  the  youn,<jc  Tobias  during  his  eventful  journey- 
is  typical  of  his  benignity  and  loving  condescension  towards  those 
whom  he  protects.  His  countenance  is  represented  as  full  of 
benignity.  Devotional  pictures  portray  him  dressed  as  a  pilgrim, 
with  sandals ;  his  hair  bound  with  a  diadem  or  a  fillet ;  the  staff  in 
his  hand,  and  a  wallet  or  2>cLnetiere  hung  to  his  belt.  As  a  guardian, 
spirit  he  bears  the  sword  and  a  small  casket  or  vase,  containing  the 
"  fishy  charm  "  (Tobit  vi.  G)  against  evil  spirits.  As  guardian  anger 
he  usually  leads  Tobias.  The  picture  of  Murillo  in  the  Leuchtenberg 
Gallery  represents  him  as  the  guardian  angel  of  a  bishop  who  appears 
as  a  votary  below.     September  12. 

St.  Raymond  {Sp.  San  Ramon).  On  account  of  the  circum- 
stances of  his  birth  this  saint  is  styled  Nonnatus.  He  belonged  to 
the  Order  of  Mercy,  and  labored  for  the  captives  among  the  Moors. 
By  the  Mahometans,  among  whom  he  was  long  a  captive  for  the 
ransom  of  his  Christian  brethren,  his  lips  were  bored  through  with  a 
red-hot  iron  and  fastened  with  a  padlock.  He  later  was  made  a 
cardinal,  and  the  General  of  his  order.  He  presided  at  a  chapter 
held  at  Barcelona.  Pope  Gregory  IX.  and  King  James  of  Aragon 
assisted  at  his  funeral  obsequies.     August  31,  a.  d.  1240. 

St.  Raymond  of  Penaforte  was  born  at  the  castle  belonging 
to  his  family  at  Pefiaforte  in  Catalonia.  He  was  allied  to  the  royal 
house  of  Aragon,  and  his  family  were  of  Barcelona.  He  early  en- 
tered upon  a  religious  life,  and  became  a  model  in  his  zealous  devo- 
tion to  the  Church  and  his  charity  to  the  poor.  He  assumed 
the  Dominican  habit,  and  was  the  third  General  of  that  order. 
His  zealous  preaching  against  the  Moors  was  thought  to  be  the 
first  cause  of  the  final  expulsion  of  the  infidels  from  Spain.  A 
miracle  which  he  is  said  to  have  performed,  and  which  is  attested  to 
in  the  bull  of  his  canonization,  is  related  thus  :  Raymond  was  the 
spiritual  director  of  King  James  of  Aragon  (el  Conquistador).  This 
king  was  an  accomplished  gentleman,  and  did  not  incline  to  allow 
his  confessor  to  interfere  with  his  pleasures.  Now  he  was  greatly  in 
love  with  a  beautiful  woman  of  his  court  from  whom  Raymond 
vainly  attempted  to  separate  him.  The  king  summoned  the  priest  to 
attend  him  to  Majorca,  but  he  refused  to  go  unless  the  lady  remained 
behind.  James  affected  to  comply,  but  the  lady  accompanied  him 
in  the  dress  of  a  page.     Raymond  soon  discovered  the  deceit,  and 


268  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

remonstrated  severely  with  the  king,  who  was  very  angr}'.  The 
priest  threatened  to  return  to  Spain,  but  James  forbade  any  vessel  to 
leave  the  port,  and  passed  sentence  of  death  upon  any  who  should 
aid  Raymond  to  go  away.  St.  Raymond  then  said,  *'  An  earthly 
king  has  deprived  us  of  the  means  of  escape,  but  a  Heavenly  King 
will  supply  them."  Then  walking  up  to  a  rock  which  projected  into 
the  sea,  he  spread  his  cloak  on  the  waters,  and  setting  his  staff 
upright  and  tying  one  corner  of  the  cloak  to  it  for  a  sail,  he  made  the 
sign  of  the  cross,  and  boldly  embarked  in  this  new  kind  of  vessel.  He 
was  wafted  over  the  surface  of  the  ocean  with  such  rapidity  that  in 
six  hours  he  reached  Barcelona.  This  miracle  was  attested  to  by 
five  hundred  persons,  who  saw  him  land  at  Barcelona  and  take  up 
his  cloak  perfectly  dry  from  the  water  and  wrap  it  round  him,  and 
then  with  great  humility  retire  to  his  cell.  Don  Jay  me,  overcome 
by  this  miracle,  repented  of  his  obstinacy  and  afterwards  governed 
his  kingdom  and  his  life  by  the  advice  of  St.  Raymond.  He  is  rep- 
resented in  the  habit  of  his  order,  and  kneels  on  his  mantle  while 
he  is  borne  over  the  sea,  or  else  the  miracle  is  represented  in  the 
back;_,Tound.     January  23,  a.  d.  1275. 

St.  Regulus  was  an  African  bishop.  He  fled  from  his  diocese 
in  the  time  of  the  contentions  between  the  Arians  and  the  Catholics. 
He  came  to  Tuscan}^  and  lived  the  life  of  an  anchoret.  In  the  in- 
vasion of  Totila  he  was  beheaded.  According  to  tradition  he  took 
up  his  head  and  proceeded  two  stadia,  when  he  sat  down.  Being 
found  thus  by  two  of  his  disciples,  he  gave  them  his  head,  and  they 
buried  him  there  with  great  reverence  and  (what  is  not  strange) 
with  iinspeakable  aive. 

St.  Reparata  was  a  virgin  of  Cesarea  in  Cappadocia.  In  the 
persecution  under  Decius  she  was  martyred,  though  only  twelve 
years  old.  As  she  died  her  spirit  was  seen  to  issue  from  her  mouth 
in  shape  like  a  dove,  and  to  fly  to  heaven.  This  saint  was  for  six 
hundred  years  the  chief  patroness  of  Florence,  and  the  Duomo  was 
dedicated  in  Ixr  name ;  but  it  was  re-dedicated  to  Santa  Maria-del- 
Fiore.  She  is  represented  in  various  colored  robes,  and  bears  the 
crown,  ]>!ilin,  book,  and  a  banner  with  a  red  cross  on  a  white  ground. 

St.  Roch  {Lai.  S.  Rochus;  Ital.  San  Rocco ;  Fr.  St.  Roch  or 
Roijue)  was  tiie  son  of  noble  i)arents.  iMontpelier,  in  Languedoc, 
was  his  birthplace.     When  he  was  born,  there  was  a  small  red  cross 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  269 

on  his  breast.     His  mother  interpreted  this  as  a  sign  that  he  should 
be  consecrated  to  God's  service,  and  she  educated  him  with  great  care. 
The  saint  too  was  of  the  same  mind;  but  he  inclined  to  follow  the 
example  of  Jesus,  —  to  go  about  doing  good,  —  in  preference  to  that 
of  many  holy  men,  who  flee  from  the  world  to  serve  God.     His  par- 
ents died  when  he  was  less  than  twenty  years  old,  and  left  him  vast 
estates.     He  sold  all,  and  gave  the  money  to  hospitals  and  to  the 
poor.     He   then  went  on  foot  to  Rome  in  the  garb  of  a  pilgrim. 
When  he  arrived  at  Aquapendcnte,  a  terrible  plague  was  raging  there. 
St.  Roch  offered  to  attend,  the  sick  in  the  hospitals.     He  was  espe- 
cially successful  in  his  care  of  the  plague-stricken,  and  it  appeared 
that  some  peculiar  blessing  attended  him ;  so  prevalent  was  this  idea 
that,  considering  his  youth  and  gentleness,  the  people  were  ready  to 
believe  him  an  angel,  and  he  himself  was  not  without  the  thought 
that  a  special  blessing  was  on  his  efforts.     He  then  went  to  Cesena 
and  Rimini,  where  he  labored  in  the  same  manner;  and  then  he  ar- 
rived at  Rome  in  the  rnidst  of  a  fearful  pestilence,  and  for  three  years 
more   devoted   himself  to  the   most  hopeless  cases.     He  constantly 
prayed  that  God  might  find  him  worthy  to    die    as    a    martyr  to 
this  care  for  others.     Years  passed  thus,  and  he  went  from   city  to 
city,  wherever  he  heard  of  any  dreadful  disease  and  suffering.     At 
length   at  Piacenza   he  was   himself   struck  down  by  an  unknown 
epidemic  then  raging  there.    One  night  he  sank  down  in  the  hospital, 
weary  with  nursing,  and  fell  asleep.     When  he  awoke  he  found  him- 
self plague-stricken  with  a  horrible  ulcer  on  his  thigh,  the  pain  of 
which   compelled  him  to  shriek   aloud.     Ho  feared  lest  he  should 
disturb  others,  and  crawled  into  the  street ;  but  he  was  not  allowed 
to  remain  there.     He  then  dragged  himself  to  a  wood  outside  the 
city,  and  lay  down  to  die.     But  a  little  dog  which  had  attended  him 
in  all  his  wanderings  now  cared  for  him,  and  brought  him  every  day 
a  loaf  of  bread.     According  to  the  legend,  an  angel  also  dressed  his 
wound  and  cared  for  him ;  but  this  is  questioned,  and  it  is  stated 
that  a  man  named  Gothard  did  this  for  him  ;  but  be  this  as  it  may, 
as  soon  as  the  saint  was  able  he  set  out  for  his  home.     When  he 
arrived  at  a  little  village  near  Montpelier,  where  the  land  belonged 
to  his  estates,  and  the  people  were  the  vassals  of  his  family,  no  one 
knew  him,  and  they  regarded  him  so  suspiciously  that  they  took  him 
before  the  judge  as  a  spy.     The  judge  was  his  uncle,  but  even  he  did 


270  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

uot  recognize  liim,  and  condemned  him  to  be  imprisoned.  St.  Roch 
reo-arded  all  this  as  the  will  of  God,  and  said  nothing,  desiring  that 
all  should  be  as  Providence  should  direct.  So  he  was  cast  into  a 
duno-eon.  There  was  no  one  to  plead  for  him,  and  he  adhered  to  his 
resolve  of  silence;  thus  he  remained  five  years.  One  morning  when 
the  jailer  went  to  his  cell  it  was  filled  with  a  glory  of  light,  and  the 
prisoner  lay  dead  with  a  paper  beside  him,  which  told  his  name,  and 
these  words  also:  "All  those  who  are  stricken  by  the  plague,  and 
who  pray  for  aid  through  the  merits  and  intercession  of  St.  Koch,  the 
servant  of  God,  shall  be  healed."  Then  the  judge,  when  he  saw  this 
paper,  wept  and  was  filled  with  remorse.  The  saint  was  honorably 
buried  midst  the  prayers  of  the  whole  city.  Nearly  a  century  elapsed 
before  St.  Roch  was  heard  of  outside  his  native  city,  where  he  was 
held  in  the  greatest  possible  veneration.  But  at  the  time  of  the 
great  church  council  at  Constance,  the  plague  broke  out  in  that  city, 
and  priests  and  people  were  in  consternation,  when  a  German  monk, 
who  had  been  in  France,  advised  that  the  power  of  St.  Roch  should 
be  tested  in  this  emergency.  His  counsel  was  followed,  and  the 
image  of  the  saint  was  borne  through  the  city  accompanied  by  a 
solemn  procession,  with  prayers  and  litanies.  Then  the  plague  ceased, 
and  to  this  the  increased  veneration  of  St.  Roch  may  be  traced. 
Towards  the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century  the  Venetians,  who  were 
especially  exposed  to  the  plague  from  their  commercial  intercourse 
with  the  East,  resolved  to  possess,  if  possible,  the  relics  of  St.  Roch. 
The  men  appointed  to  accomplish  the  purpose  went  to  Montpelier  as 
pilgrims.  They  succeeded  in  carrying  away  the  sacred  remains,  and 
were  received  with  joy  by  all  Venice,  from  the  Doge  down  to  the 
poorest  beggar.  Then  the  splendid  church  of  San  Rocco  was  built 
under  the  auspices  of  a  society  which  already  existed  in  Venice  for 
the  care  of  the  sick,  and  which  had  been  formed  under  his  protection. 
In  this  society  many  of  the  nobility  enrolled  themselves.  Many 
votive  pictures  are  seen  of  this  saint,  in  which  he  is  represented  as 
interceding  for  the  sick  person,  who  is  introduced  in  the  painting. 
In  devotional  pictures,  St.  Roch  is  represented  as  a  man  in  middle 
age,  of  refined  and  delicate  features,  with  an  expression  of  benevolence 
and  kindness.  He  is  dressed  as  a  ])ilgrim,  with  the  cockle-shell  on 
his  hat,  the  staff  in  his  hand,  and  the  wallet  at  his  side.  With  one 
hand  he  points  to  the  plague  spot  on  his  side,  or  lifts  his  robe  to 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  271 

show  it.  His  dog  also  attends  him.  Patron  of  all  who  are  in  prison  ; 
of  all  sick  persons  in  hospitals,  but  especially  of  those  afflicted  by  the 
plague.     August  16,  a.  d.  1327.^ 

St.  Romain,  whose  whole  history  is  painted  on  the  windows 
of  the  catliedral  of  Rouen,  was  bishop  of  that  city  in  the  time  of 
Clovis  I.  He  is  considered  as  the  great  apostle  of  Normandy,  for  he 
preached  there  with  remarkable  zeal  and  overthrew  paganism.  The 
Seine  at  one  time  so  overflowed  its  banks  as  to  threaten  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  city.  St.  Romain  commanded  the  waters  to  retire,  but 
of  the  slime  and  mud  which  remained  a  poisonous  dragon  was  born, 
called  by  the  French  "  la  Gargouille."  This  monster  spread  conster- 
nation all  along  the  shores  of  the  river.  Then  the  saint,  by  the  aid  of 
a  wicked  murderer,  went  forth  and  slew  the  beast.  From  this  time 
it  was  the  privilege  of  the  chapter  of  Rouen  to  pardon  a  criminal 
condemned  to  death ;  and  this  was  so  until  the  time  of  the  Revolu- 
tion.    February  28,  a.  d.  639. 

St.  Romualdo  w^as  born  at  Ravenna,  of  the  noble  family  of  the 
Onesti,  about  the  year  956.  He  was  trained  like  other  young  noble- 
men, and  loved  the  chase ;  but  often  as  he  rode  on  the  hunt  in  the 
forests  of  Ravenna,  he  was  soothed  and  charmed  by  the  beauty  of 
the  scenery,  and  would  slacken  his  pace,  and  become  absorbed  in  the 
thought  of  the  quiet  peace  of  those  w^ho  dwelt  alone  with  Xature. 
Then  he  would  breathe  a  prayer,  and  return  to  his  busy  life  of 
pleasure.  But  his  father,  Sergius,  was  a  man  of  very  difterent 
mettle.  He  was  proud  and  self-willed,  and  could  brook  no  opposi- 
tion. Having  disagreed  with  a  relative  concerning  the  succession 
of  a  certain  pasture,  he  challenged  him  to  combat  and  slew  him. 
Romualdo  was  present  at  the  time,  and  was  so  overpowered  with 
horror  that  he  believed  it  his  duty  to  expiate  his  father's  crime. 
He  retired  to  a  monastery  near  Ravenna,  Sant'  Apollinare  in  Classe, 
and  assumed  the  habit  of  the  Benedictines.  But  his  enthusiastic 
and  sensitive  temperament  suffered  much  from  the  irregularities  of 
certain  monks;  and  he  conceived  the  idea  of  establishing  new  monas- 
tic institutions,  according  to  the  pure  spirit  which  he  felt  should 
control  them,  and  of  reforming  the  old  ones  and  raising  them  to  the 
same  standard.     Henceforth  his  life  was  a  continuous  battle.     He 

1  There  are  no  authentic  acts  of  the  life  of  St.  Roch. 


272  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

was  hated  and  reviled  bj  unworthy  monks  everywhere,  and  even  his 
life  was  in  danger  from  the  bitterness  of  their  enmity  to  him.  But 
he  scorned  all  danger,  and  despised  all  persecution,  and  fought  most 
bravely  by  prayer  and  labor  for  the  cause  he  had  undertaken  to 
maintain.  His  first  monastery  was  founded  near  Arezzo  in  the 
Apennines;  in  a  glen  called  Campo-Maldoli,  from  the  name  of  the 
family  to  whom  it  belonged.  From  this  the  new  order  was  called 
that  of  the  Camaldoli.  The  members  of  this  order  are  consecrated 
to  perpetual  service  to  God ;  they  strictly  practise  solitude,  silence, 
and  contemplation ;  they  do  not  even  eat  together,  but  every  one 
lives  in  a  separate  hut  with  his  own  garden,  in  order  to  comply 
witii  the  requirements  for  manual  labor.  The  Camaldolesi  are  among 
the  most  severe  of  all  monks,  and  are,  in  fact,  hermits  in  societies. 
According  to  the  legend,  the  color  of  the  habit  of  his  order  was 
changed  in  this  wise  :  Not  long  before  his  death  the  saint  fell  asleep 
beside  a  fountain  not  far  from  his  cell,  and  he  beheld  a  vision  of  a 
ladder  reaching  from  earth  to  heaven,  on  which  the  brethren  of  his 
order  ascended  by  twos  and  threes,  and  all  dressed  in  white.  So  he 
immediately  changed  the  color,  which  had  been  black ;  and  white  has 
ever  since  been  worn  by  the  Camaldolesi.  Thirty  years  after  his 
secession  from  his  first  convent  he  had  become  famous  throughout 
the  north  of  Italy,  and  had  communities  of  reformed  monks  number- 
ing hundreds.  He  is  represented  with  a  loose  white  habit,  and  a  full 
beard  which  falls  to  his  girdle ;  he  leans  upon  a  crutch.  February  7, 
A.  D.  1027. 

St.  Romulo  {Lat.  S.  Romulus)  was  a  noble  Roman,  whom, 
according  to  the  legend,  St.  Peter  sent  to  preach  to  the  people  of 
Fiesole,  which  was  then  a  most  important  Etruscan  city.  After  thus 
being  the  apostle  he  became  the  first  bishop  of  Fiesole.  He  was  at 
length  accused  before  the  praetor,  as  a  Christian,  and  was  sentenced 
to  suller  death.  This  was  in  the  time  of  Nero.  After  suffering  the 
most  cruel  tortures,  he  was  slain  with  a  dagger.  The  old  cathednU 
of  Fiesole  is  dedicated  to  St.  Romulo.  He  is  represented  in  the 
episcopal  robes,  and  bears  the  palm.     July  23. 

Santa  Rosa  di  Lima  was  born  at  Lima  in  Peru,  and  is  the  only 
cahouizt'd  fenialu  saint  of  the  New  World.  She  was  distinguished  by 
her  extreme  hatred  of  vanity.  The  severities  of  her  life,  also,  were 
very  great.     She  was  especially  beautiful  in  her  complexion ;  hence 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  273 

her  name.  She  rejected  many  suitors,  and  at  last  destroyed  her 
great  charm  with  a  compound  of  pepper  and  quicklime.  When  her 
mother  commanded  her  to  wear  a  wreath  of  roses,  she  so  arranged  it 
that  it  was  in  truth  a  crown  of  thorns.  Her  food  was  principally 
bitter  herbs.  She  was  a  model  of  filial  devotion,  and  maintained  her 
parents  by  her  labor  after  they  had  become  poor,  toiling  all  day  in 
her  garden,  and  all  night  with  her  needle.  She  took  the  habit  of 
the  Third  Order  of  St.  Dominick.  The  Peruvian  legend  relates 
that  when  Pope  Clement  X.  was  asked  to  canonize  her,  he  refused, 
exclaiming,  "India  y  Santa!  asi  como  Uneven  rosas!"  ("India  and 
saint  !  as  likely  as  that  it  should  rain  roses  !  ")  Instantly  a  shower 
of  roses  commenced  in  the  Vatican,  and  did  not  cease  till  the  Pope 
acknowledged  his  mistaken  incredulity.  Stirling's  "Artists  of  Spain," 
thus  speaks  of  Santa  Rosa :  "  This  flower  of  Sanctity,  whose  fra- 
grance has  filled  the  whole  Christian  world,  is  the  patroness  of 
America,  the  St.  Teresa  of  Transatlantic  Spain."  In  a  picture  by 
Murillo,  she  is  represented  with  a  thorny  crown ;  holding  in  her 
hand  the  figure  of  the  Infant  Saviour,  which  rests  on  full-blown 
roses.     August  30,  a.  d.   1617. 

St.  Rosa  di  Viterbo  was  a  member  of  the  Third  Order  of  St. 
Francis.  She  lived  in  the  thirteenth  century,  and  was  remarkable 
for  the  influence  she  exercised  in  Viterbo,  as  well  as  for  her  extensive 
charities  and  the  eloquence  of  her  speech.  She  lived  a  life  of  great 
austerity.  She  is  now  the  patroness  of  that  city,  to  which  while 
living  she  was  a  benefiictress.  She  is  represented  in  a  gray  tunic, 
with  knotted  girdle,  and  a  chaplet  of  roses.     May  8,  a.  d.  12G1. 

St.  Rosalia  of  Palermo,  whose  statue  towers  upon  tiie  sum- 
mit of  Monte  Pellegrino,  overlooking  the  Mediterranean,  and  cheer- 
ing the  mariners,  who  consider  her  their  protectress,  was  a  Sicilian 
virgin  of  noble  birth.  When  scarcely  sixteen  years  old,  she  with- 
drew from  her  home  and  friends  secretly,  and  lived  in  a  cave  in 
Monte  PellegTino,  near  the  summit.  She  had  rejected  many  suitors, 
and  longed  for  the  solitude  where  nothing  could  distract  her  mind 
from  the  service  of  God.  She  died  without  having  been  discovered ; 
and  twice  after  she  had  ascended  to  her  heavenly  bridegroom,  she 
interceded  for  Palermo  and  saved  it  from  the  ravages  of  the  pesti- 
lence. At  length  her  remains  were  discovered  lying  in  her  cave ;  and 
such  was  the  purity  of  this  unsullied  virgin  that  they  remained 

18 


274  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

uncorriipteil  even  in  deatli.  Her  name  was  inscribed  above  her  in 
the  rock,  and  on  her  head  was  a  crown  made  of  the  roses  of  Paradise, 
and  placed  there  by  angels.  Her  cave  has  become  a  chapel  to  which 
pilgrims  resort.  She  is  usually  represented  reclining  in  her  cave, 
which  is  bright  with  celestial  light;  angels  crow^n  her  with  roses,  and 
she  holds  a  crucifix  upon  her  breast.  Again,  she  is  seen  standing 
and  inscribing  her  name  upon  the  rock.  She  wears  a  brown  tunic, 
sometimes  ragged,  and  her  hair  is  loose  about  her.  September  4, 
A.  D.   IIGO. 

Rosary,  The.  The  beads  used  by  Catholics  and  called  by  this 
name  are  so  often  represented  in  art  that  an  explanation  of  their 
use  and  signification  will  not  be  out  of  place.  The  use  of  beads  to 
assist  the  memory  in  regard  to  the  number  of  prayers  recited  is  of 
very  ancient  date  and  of  Eastern  origin.  They  were  employed  by 
the  ancient  anchorites,  and  also  by  the  Benedictines  before  their 
use  became  general  in  the  Church.  The  rosary  in  its  present  ac- 
cepted form  was  instituted  by  St.  Dominick.  He  invented  a  new 
arrangement  of  the  beads,  and  dedicated  it  to  the  Blessed  Virgin. 
The  festival  of  the  Eosary  was  instituted  by  Gregory  XHI.  after  the 
battle  of  Lcpanto,  a.  d.  1571 ;  and  from  this  time  it  became  popular 
as  a  subject  of  art,  and  there  are  large  numbers  of  pictures  which 
relate  to  its  institution.  A  complete  rosary  has  one  hundred  and  fifty 
small  beads  and  fifteen  larger  ones.  The  latter  represent  the  Pater- 
nosters, and  the  former  the  Ave-Marias.  The  large  beads  divide  the 
rosary  into  fifteen  decades,  each  one  consisting  of  ten  Ave-Marias, 
preceded  by  a  large  bead,  or  Pater-noster,  and  all  concluded  with  a 
Gloria  Patri.  Five  decades  make  a  chaplct,  which  is  a  third  part 
of  a  rosary.  To  these  beads  a  crucifix  is  added.  The  "  ^Mysteries  of 
the  Rosary  "  consist  in  the  assigning  of  a  certain  event  in  the  life 
of  the  Virgin  or  in  the  life  of  the  Saviour  to  each  decade.  There 
are  five  joyful  mysteries,  which  arc,  —  the  Annunciation,  the  Visita- 
tion, the  Nativity,  the  Purification,  and  Christ  found  in  the  Temple  ; 
five  dolorous  or  sorrowfid  mysteries,  —  Our  Lord  in  the  Garden 
of  Gethsemane,  the  Flagellation,  Christ  Crowned  with  Thorns,  the 
Procession  to  Calvary,  and  the  Crucifixion  ;  five  glorious  mysteries,  — 
the  Resurrection,  the  Ascension,  the  Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
Assumption  of  our  T.ady,  and  her  Coronation.  Tlio  rosary  in  the  hand 
or  about  the  person  of  a  saint  signifies  that  they  obtained  aid  "  per 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  275 

intercessione  dell'  Sacratissimo  Rosario."  When  held  before  the 
Madonna,  it  indicates  that  by  the  use  of  it  she  is  to  be  honored  ;  in 
short,  the  rosary  was  intended  to  excite  and  assist  devotion  in  vai-ious 
ways,  and  its  representations  illustrate  the  same  idea.  Festival  of  the 
Rosary,  first  Sunday  in  October. 

St.  Rufina.     See  St.  Justina  of  Seville. 

St.  Sabina,  to  whom  a  church  is  dedicated  at  Rome,  was  a  noble 
matron  who  suffered  martyrdom  during  the  reign  of  Hadrian.  The 
church,  which  dates  from  the  early  part  of  the  fifth  century,  is  said  to 
occupy  the  site  of  her  house,  and  the  altar-piece  represents  a  soldier 
dragging  the  saint  up  the  steps  of  a  temple,  with  a  sword  in  his 
hand.  With  her  Seraphia,  a  Greek  slave,  who  had  converted  Sa- 
bina, was  also  executed.  Her  attribute  is  the  palm.  August  29, 
second  century. 

Santa  Casa.  This  is  the  title  given  to  the  house  in  which  the 
Blessed  Virgin  was  born  at  Nazareth.  According  to  the  legend,  this 
house  was  threatened  with  profanation  or  destruction  at  the  time  of 
the  invasion  of  the  Saracens,  when  four  angels  took  it  and  bore  it 
over  sea  and  land  to  the  coast  of  Dalmatia ;  but  there  it  was  not 
safe,  and  the  angels  again  removed  it  to  a  spot  near  Loretto  ;  but 
here  the  brigands  invaded  it,  and  it  was  again  removed  to  the 
spot  where  it  now  remains,  —  said  to  have  been  done  in  1295. 
The  Madonna  di  Loretto  is  represented  as  holding  the  Infant  Sav- 
iour, and  seated  upon  the  roof  of  a  house  which  is  borne  by 
four  angels.  Loretto  became  one  of  the  most  celebrated  places  of 
pilgrimage,  and  many  chapels  have  been  dedicated  to  Our  Lady  of 
Loretto. 

St.  Scholastica.  Very  little  is  known  of  this  saint.  She  was  the 
sister  of  St.  Benedict,  and  followed  him  to  Monte  Cassino,  and  there 
gathered  about  her  a  small  community  of  nuns.  Benedict  visited 
her  but  once  every  year.  At  one  time,  when  he  arose  to  take  leave 
of  her,  she  begged  him  to  remain  longer,  and  when  he  refused  she 
bent  her  head  and  prayed  that  God  would  interfere  to  detain  her 
brother  with  her.  Then  immediately  a  furious  storm  arose,  and  he 
was  forced  to  remain  for  several  hours.  This  was  their  last  parting ; 
for  two  days  after  St.  Scholastica  died,  and  Benedict  saw  her  soul 
ascend  to  heaven  in  the  form  of  a  dove,  while  he  was  praying  in  his 
cell.     She  is  represented  in  a  black  habit,  with  a  dove  at  her  feet  or 


276  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

pressed  to  her  bosom,  aud  a  lily  in  her  hand.  February  10, 
about   543. 

St.  Sebald  is  one  of  the  most  distinguished  among  the  early  Ger- 
man saints,  and  is  especially  venerated  in  Nuremberg.  The  legends 
relate  that  he  was  the  son  of  a  Danish  king,  and  left  England  with 
St.  Boniface.  His  name  in  English  is  Seward,  Siward,  or  Sigward. 
He  travelled  through  the  north  of  Germany,  preaching  as  a  mission- 
ary, and  at  last  lived  permanently  in  Nuremberg.  While  he  dwelt 
in  a  cell  not  far  from  the  city,  he  went  there  almost  daily  to  teach 
the  poor.  He  was  in  the  habit  of  stopping  to  rest  in  the  hut  of  a 
cartwright.  One  day,  when  it  was  very  cold,  he  found  the  family  in 
the  hut  nearly  frozen,  and  they  had  no  fuel.  Then  Sebald  commanded 
them  to  bring  in  the  icicles  which  hung  from  the  roof  and  use  them 
to  feed  the  lire.  They  obeyed,  and  w^ere  thus  miraculously  warmed. 
Again  the  saint  desired  fish  for  a  fast-day,  and  sent  the  same  cart- 
wright  to  buy  it.  Now  the  Lord  of  Nuremberg  had  commanded  that 
no  person  should  buy  fish  until  the  castle  was  supplied ;  so  the  poor 
man  was  punished  by  having  his  eyes  put  out.  But  St.  Sebald  re- 
stored his  sight.  His  wonderful  shrine  in  the  church  at  Nuremberg 
was  made,  according  to  its  inscription,  by  Peter  Vischer  and  his  five 
sons.  These  sons  with  their  families  all  dwelt  with  the  father  Peter, 
and  shared  alike  his  labors,  his  rewards,  and  his  fame.  It  was  com- 
menced in  1508,  finished  in  1523,  and  remains  undisturbed.  The 
saint  is  represented,  in  his  statue  by  Peter  Yischer,  as  a  pilgrim  with 
shell  in  hat,  rosary,  staff,  and  wallet.  He  holds  in  his  hand  a  model 
of  his  church.     About  a.  d.  770. 

St.  Sebastian  {Lat.  S.  Sebastianus ;  Ital.  San  Sebastiano  or 
Bastiano  ;  Fr.  St.  Sebastien ;  Sp.  and  Ger.  Sebastian).  The  legend 
of  this  saint,  though  very  old,  has  the  advantage  of  being  better 
authenticated  by  history  than  many  antique  traditions.  Sebastian 
was  descended  from  a  noble  fixmily  which  had  been  honored  with 
high  offices  in  the  empire.  He  was  born  at  Narbonne,  and  when  still 
quite  young  was  made  commander  of  a  company  of  the  Prjvtorian 
Guards,  and  was  thus  always  near  the  emperor,  Diocletian,  with 
whom  he  was  an  especial  favorite.  Now  Sebastian  was  secretly  a 
Christian,  and  while  from  this  very  fact  he  conscientiously  fulfilled 
all  his  duties  to  the  emperor,  ho  also  protected  the  Christians,  and 
endeavored  to  make  converts;  and  in  this  last  he  was  very  successful 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  277 

Among  those  whom  he  had  thus  influenced  were  two  young  soldiers, 
of  noble  family,  called  ^larcus  and  Marcellinus.  They  were  accused 
as  Christians  and  condemned  to  the  torture ;  this  they  firmly  endured, 
and  were  led  out  for  execution.  Then  their  families,  their  wives  and 
children,  besought  them  to  recant  and  live.  That  which  the  tortures 
could  not  effect,  these  pra3'ers  and  tears  were  about  to  do,  —  they 
wavered  ;  then  Sebastian,  regardless  of  himself,  rushed  forward  and 
eloquently  exhorted  them  that  they  should  not  betray  their  Re- 
deemer. So  earnest  was  he,  and  so  great  was  his  power,  that  the 
two  soldiers  went  boldly  to  their  death,  while  their  friends,  many  of 
the  guards,  and  even  the  judge  himself,  were  also  converted  and 
secretly  baptized.  Now  Sebastian's  time  had  come  ;  but  before  his 
public  accusation,  the  emperor  so  loved  him  that  he  sent  for  him  to 
see  if  privately  he  could  not  influence  him  to  save  his  life.  And  he 
said,  "  Have  I  not  always  honored  thee  above  the  rest  of  my  officers  1 
Why  hast  thou  disobeyed  my  commands,  and  insulted  my  gods  1 " 
Then  answered  the  young  saint,  with  courage,  but  also  with  meek- 
ness, "  0  C?esar,  I  have  ever  prayed,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for 
thy  prosperity,  and  have  been  true  to  thy  service  ;  but  as  for  the 
gods  whom  thou  wouldst  have  me  worship,  they  are  devils,  or,  at 
best,  idols  of  wood  and  stone."  After  this,  Diocletian  ordered  that 
Sebastian  should  be  bound  to  a  stake,  and  shot  to  death  with  arrows, 
but  that  it  should  be  inscribed  on  the  stake  that  he  had  no  fault  but 
that  of  being  a  Christian.  Then  the  archers  did  their  duty,  and  he 
was  left  for  dead,  being  pierced  with  many  arrows.  At  night,  Irene, 
the  widow  of  one  of  his  friends  who  had  been  martyred,  came  with 
her  companions  to  take  his  body  away  to  burial.  And,  lo  !  it  was 
found  that  he  was  still  alive,  for  none  of  the  arrows  had  entered  a 
vital  part.  Then  Irene  took  him  home,  and  carefully  tended  him 
until  he  was  well  again.  When  his  friends  saw  him  they  begged 
that  he  would  fly  from  Rome  and  save  his  life  ;  but  Sebastian  went 
to  the  palace  and  stood  where  he  knew  the  emperor  must  surely  see 
him,  and  he  pleaded  for  certain  condemned  ones,  and  plainly  told 
the  emperor  of  his  cruelty  and  wickedness.  Then  Diocletian,  being 
amazed,  exclaimed,  "Art  thou  not  Sebastian]"  And  he  said,  "I  am 
Sebastian,  whom  God  hath  delivered  from  thy  hand,  that  I  might 
testify  to  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  and  plead  for  his  servants."  Then 
was  Diocletian  doubly  infuriated  ;  and  he  commanded  that  Sebastian 


278  LEGENDS   AND  STORIES 

should  be  taken  to  the  circus  and  beaten  to  death  with  clubs,  and 
his  body  thrown  into  the  Cloaca  Maxima,  and  thus  hidden  from  his 
friends.     But  in  spite  of  all  this,  a  lady  named  Lucina,  who  was  a 
Christian,  found  means  to  obtain  his  remains,  and  they  were  laid  with 
reverent  care  in  the  Catacombs  at  the  feet  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul. 
Apollo  was  the  heathen  god  who*  it  was  believed  afllicted  men  by 
the  plague;  and  he  it  was  whom  men  invoked  against  it,  and   the 
arrow  was  the  emblem  of  pestilence.     It  would  seem  that  from  the 
association  of  the  arrow  with  St.  Sebastian  the  belief  arose  that  he 
was  especially  powerful  to  obtain  aid  against  this  curse  ;  for  there 
are,  according  to  tradition,  many  cities  which  have  been  saved  from 
the  plague  by  his  intercession.     A  century  after  the  great  plague  in 
the  time  of  Gregory  the  Great,  another  fearful  pestilence  ravaged 
Rome.     In  the  church  of  San  Pietro-in-Vincoli  is  an  ancient  mosaic 
of  St.  Sebastian,  and  on  a  tal)let  the  following  inscription  in  Latin  : 
"  To  St.  Sebastian,  Martyr,  dispeller  of  the  pestilence.     In  the  year 
of  salvation  G80,  a  pernicious  and  severe  pestilence  invaded  the  city 
of  Ptome.     It  was  of  three  months'  duration,  —  July,  August,  and  Sep- 
tember.    Such  was  the   multitude  of  the  dead,  that,  on  the  same 
bier,  parents  and  children,  husbands  and  wives,  with  brothers  and 
sisters,   were    borne    out   to    burial-places,  which,   everywhere    filled 
with  bodies,  hardly  sufficed.     In  addition  to  this,  nocturnal  miracles 
alarmed  them;  for  two  angels,   one  good  and  the  other  evil,  went 
through  the  city ;  and  this  last,  bearing  a  rod  in  his  hand,  as  many 
times  as  he  struck  the  doors  so  many  mortals  fell  in  those  houses. 
The  disease  spread  for  a  length  of  time,  until  it  was  announced  to  a 
holy  man  that  there  would   be  an  end  of  the  calamity,  if,  in  the 
church  of  St.  Peter  ad  Vincula,  an  altar  should  be  consecrated  in 
the  name  of  Sebastian  the  Martyr ;  which  thing  being  done  immedi- 
ately, the  pestilence,  as  if  driven  back  by  hand,  was  commanded  to 
cease."      From    this    time    Sebastian    became    the    universal    })atron 
against  pestilence,   which   honor  he   has  shared  in  later  years  with 
St.  Koch.     The   pictures  of  St.  Sebastian  are  innumerable  and   un- 
mistakable.     Ho    is   young,   beautifid,   without   drapery,   bound    to 
a  tree,   and  pierced  by  arrows.      He  looks  to  heaven,  whence  de- 
scends an   angel   with   palm   and    crown.     lie  is  the  favorite   saint 
of  Koman  women,  and  indeed  of  the  women  of  all  Italy.     .Tauuary 
20,  A.  D.  288. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  279 

St.  Secundus,  especially  venerated  at  Asti,  is  one  of  the  saints 
of  the  Tliebaii  legion.     See  8t.  ^Maurice. 

Seven  Joys,  The,  and  The  Seven  Sorrows  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  are  often  represented  in  series  of  pictures.  The  subjects 
of  the  seven  joys  are:  (1)  The  Annunciation;  (2)  The  Visitation; 
(3)  The  Adoration  of  the  I\Iagi ;  (4)  The  Presentation  in  the  Temple  ; 
(5)  Christ  found  by  Mary,  disputing  with  the  Doctors;  (G)  The 
Assumption ;  (7)  The  Coronation.  The  seven  sorrows  represent : 
(1)  The  Prophecy  of  Simeon  ;  (2)  The  Flight  into  Egypt ;  (3)  Christ 
lost  by  his  Mother;  (4)  The  Betrayal  of  Christ ;  (5)  The  Crucifixion 
(only  St.  John  and  the  Virgin  present)  ;  (6)  The  Taking  down  from 
the  Cross ;  (7)  The  Ascension  of  Christ,  leaving  Mary  on  earth. 

Seven  Sleepers  of  Ephesus,  The  {Ital.  I  Sette  Dormienti ; 
Fr.  Les  Sept  Dormants,  Les  Sept  Enfants  d'Eph^se ;  Ger.  Die 
Sieben  Schlafer).  This  tradition  is  of  great  antiquity.  Gibbon 
says  it  can  be  traced  to  within  fifty  years  of  the  time  of  the  miracle 
it  relates.  There  is  scarcely  a  written  tongue  in  which  it  is  not 
found.  Syriac,  Latin,  and  Scandinavian  relate  it,  and  the  writer 
of  the  Koran  has  given  it  a  place.  In  the  time  of  the  persecution 
of  Decius  there  dwelt  in  Ephesus  seven  young  men  who  were  Chris- 
tians. Their  names  were  Maximian,  Malchus,  Marcian,  Dionysius, 
John,  Serapion,  and  Constantine.  Having  refused  to  offer  sacrifice 
to  the  gods,  they  were  accused  before  the  tribunal.  They  fled  to 
Mt.  Ccelian  and  hid  in  a  cave.  They  were  pursued  and  discovered. 
Then  it  was  ordered  that  great  stones  should  be  rolled  against  the 
mouth  of  the  cave,  and  they  should  thus  be  left  to  die  of  starvation. 
They  resigned  themselves  to  this  dreadful  f\\te,  and  embracing  each 
other  went  to  sleep.  Time  rolled  on  until  one  hundred  and  niuety- 
six  years  had  passed.  Then,  in  the  reign  of  Theodosius,  a  heresy 
arose  denying  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  The  emperor,  greatly 
afflicted  at  this,  retired  to  his  palace,  and  dressed  himself  in  sackcloth, 
and  sprinkled  ashes  on  his  head ;  and  God  for  his  sake  restored 
these  seven  sleepers.  For  a  certain  man  of  E[)hesus  went  to  Mt. 
Ccelian  to  build  him  a  stable,  and  he  discovered  this  cavern  and 
rolled  the  stones  away.  When  the  light  entered  there,  the  sleepers 
awoke,  and  thought  they  had  slept  but  for  a  night.  Then  it  was 
determined  that  Malchus  should  venture  into  Ephesus  to  obtain 
food.     He  went  with  fear  and  caution,  and  was  surprised  to  find  the 


280  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

gates  of  the  city  surmounted  by  crosses.  Theu  when  he  entered 
within  the  walls  he  heard  the  name  of  Christ,  which  he  had  been 
accustomed  to  sigh  forth  only  with  his  breath,  boldly  spoken  every- 
where. He  believed  himself  in  a  dream.  He  entered  a  baker's  shop, 
and  in  payment  for  his  loaf  he  offered  a  coin  of  the  time  of  Decius. 
He  was  regarded  with  great  astonishment,  and  suspected  of  having 
robbed  some  hidden  treasure.  When  accused  he  knew  not  what  to 
say,  and  he  was  dragged  to  the  bishop  with  contumely  and  reproaches. 
When  the  bishop  had'  talked  with  him,  the  truth  was  discovered. 
Then  went  out  the  emperor,  the  governor,  the  bishop,  and  hosts  of 
the  people,  and  the  six  other  sleepers  were  found  in  the  cave.  Then 
when  the  emperor  was  come,  one  of  them  said,  "  Believe  in  us,  0 
Emperor !  for  we  have  been  raised  before  the  Day  of  Judgment,  in 
order  that  thou  mightest  trust  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  ! " 
Then  they  all  bowed  their  heads  and  gave  up  the  ghost.  Repre- 
sentations of  this  legend  are  very  common  among  works  of  art  of  the 
thirteenth  and  fourteenth  century,  in  glass,  miniatures,  and  sculpture. 
They  are  usually  extended  in  their  cave  side  by  side.  Their  names 
are  inscribed  above  their  heads,  and  they  have  the  martyrs  palm. 
June  27. 

Sibyls,  The,  were  prophetesses,  who  foretold  the  coming  of 
Christ  to  the  Gentiles  as  the  prophets  did  to  the  Jews.  They  are, 
in  the  art  of  the  Latin  Church,  what  the  sages  of  antiquity  were  to 
the  Greeks,  and  are,  in  fact,  a  kind  of  witnesses  to  the  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity. It  may  be  shown  that  the  Church  made  use  of  the  witness 
of  the  sibyls  by  an  extract  from  the  hymn  "  Dies  Ine,"  said  to 
have  been  written  by  Pope  Innocent  III.  It  is  translated  thus  in 
the  English  version  of  the  Missal  :  — 

"  The  dreadful  day,  the  da}'  of  ire, 
Shall  kindle  the  avenging  fire 
Around  tlie  expiring  world  ; 
And  Earth,  as  Sibyl  said  of  old, 
And  as  the  prophet  king  foretold, 
Shall  be  in  ruin  hurU'd." 

Their  origin  was  obscure ;  they  were  regarded  as  holy  virgins,  who 
lived  in  caves  and  grottos.  They  were  believed  to  have  the  power 
to  read  the  future,  and  were  interrogated  by  their  votaries  upon  im- 
portant matters,  and  their   answers  were   considered   authoritative. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  281 

Varro,  who  wrote  about  one  hundred  years  b.  c,  gives  their  number 
as  ten,  and  their  names  as  taken  from  the  locahties  of  their  habita- 
tions :  The  Sibylla  Persica  from  Persia;  the  Sibylla  Libyca  from 
Libya;  the  Sibylla  Delphica  from  Delphi;  the  Sibylla  Erythrsea 
from  Erythrsea;  the  Sibylla  Cumana  from  Cuma) ;  the  Sibylla  Saniia 
from  Samos ;  the  Sibylla  Cimmeria  from  the  Black  Sea ;  the  Sibylla 
Tiburtina  from  Tivoli ;  the  Sibylla  Hellespontina  from  the  Hellespont ; 
the  Sibylla  Phrygia  from  Phrygia.  Two  others  called  the  Agrippa, 
or  the  Hebraica,  and  the  Europa  were  added  in  later  times,  as  well 
as  others  seldom  referred  to.  Sometimes  the  Queen  of  Sheba  is 
represented  as  one  of  these  wonderful  beings.  There  have  been 
serious  disagreements  in  the  opinions  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Church 
regarding  the  sibyls  and  the  worth  of  their  prophecies.  Some 
of  the  early  Fathers  considered  them  agents  of  Beelzebub,  while 
others,  including  St.  Jerome  and  St.  Augustine,  believed  them  to  be 
inspired  of  God.  The  two  most  interesting  traditions  of  the  sibyls 
in  this  connection  are  those  of  the  Cumrean  and  Tiburtine  Sibyls, 
who  appeared  to  King  Tarquin  and  -the  Emperor  Augustus.  The 
first,  the  Cumsean,  presented  herself  to  Tarquin  with  nine  books 
which  she  desired  to  sell  him.  They  contained  Sibylline  Oracles. 
Tarquin  refused  her  request.  She  went  away  and  buraed  three  of 
them  and  returned  with  six.  Again  he  refused ;  again  she  burned 
three,  and  again  returned  with  the  three  remaining.  Then  Tarquin 
sought  the  advice  of  the  soothsayers,  and  they  assured  him  that  the 
destinies  of  the  world  depended  upon  the  preservation  of  these  oracles. 
So  they  were  bought,  and  for  centuries  after  were  consulted  on  all 
great  emergencies  of  the  Roman  nation.  They  were  preserved  in  the 
Capitol  under  the  care  of  priests,  but  during  the  wars  of  Marius  and 
Sylla  they  perislied.  Then  messengers  were  sent  far  and  wide  all 
through  the  empire  to  collect  the  scattered  Sibylline  leaves,  and  as 
many  as  were  found  were  again  carefully  preserved.  The  idea  of  the 
ancient  Romans,  as  recorded  by  Tacitus  and  Suetonins,  that  those 
who  should  rule  the  world  should  come  out  from  Juda}a,  is  believed 
to  have  been  derived  from  these  Sibylline  leaves.  Again,  when  the 
Roman  Senate  decreed  divine  honors  to  Augustus,  he  consulted  the 
Tiburtine  Sibyl  whether  he  ought  to  receive  them.  She  replied  that 
it  was  more  becoming  for  him  whose  power  was  declining  to  go  away 
from  her  silently,  for  a  Hebrew   child  would  be  born  who  would 


282  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

reign  over  the  gods  themselves;  or  that  a  king  would  come  from 
heaven  whose  kingdom  would  never  end.  Another  version  relates 
that  the  heavens  were  opened,  and  a  vision  of  the  Virgin  with  the 
Infant  Saviour  in  her  arms,  standing  on  an  altar,  was  shown  him,  and 
a  voice  was  heard  saying,  **  H?ec  ara  filii  Dei"  (This  is  the  altar  of 
the  Son  of  God).  The  emperor  adored  the  vision,  and  reported  it  to 
the  Senate.  And  in  remembrance  of  it  he  erected  upon  the  Capitol 
an  altar  inscribed  "  Ara  primogeniti  Dei."  On  this  spot  stands  the 
church  of  Santa  Maria  in  Capitolio,  or  the  "Ara  cseli."  A  passage  of 
Virgil,  who  wrote  forty  years  B.  c,  is  also  quoted  as  proving  that  the 
advent  of  Christ  was  foretold  in  Sibylline  prophecy.  It  is  thus 
translated  :  "  The  last  age  of  the  Cumseau  song  now  approaches ;  the 
great  series  of  ages  begins  again ;  now  returns  the  Virgin  (Astraea), 
now  return  the  Saturnian  kingdoms,  now  a  new  progeny  is  sent  from 
high  heaven.  Be  but  propitious,  chaste  Lucina,  to  the  boy  at  his 
birth,  through  whom  the  iron  age  will  first  cease,  and  the  golden  age 
dawn  on  the  whole  world."  The  Sibyls  do  not  aj)pear  in  the  earliest 
art.  Tliey  were  not  represented  in  the  Catacombs.  In  the  four- 
teenth century  the  vision  of  Augustus  was  employed  as  a  symbol 
of  the  appearing  of  the  star  to  the  Magi,  or  the  manifestation  of 
Christ  to  the  Gentiles.  They  were  emjjloyed  in  the  cyclical  decora- 
tions of  churches  with  the  prophets.  Often  they  were  about  the 
principal  entrance,  or,  if  inside,  near  the  door ;  their  position  being 
typical  of  their  having  been  "forerunners  of  the  Lord."  Their 
number  varies.  In  the  Eastern  Church  there  is  but  one  "  la  sage 
Sihylle.''  They  should  be  recognized  by  their  scrolls ;  but  the  in- 
scriptions have  been  so  varied  that  they  are  not  always  guides.  The 
sibyls  of  Michael  Angelo,  on  the  ceiling  of  the  Sistine  Cliapel,  are  too 
well  known  to  need  any  description ;  and  it  has  been  said  that  these 
representations  are  "the  highest  honor  that  art  has  rendered  to  the 
sibyls."  Their  various  attributes,  dress,  and  age,  as  nearly  as  it  is 
possible  to  give  them,  are  as  follows:  — 

The  Sihi/lla  Ptrsica  was  supposed  to  be  a  daughter-in-law  of 
Moses.  She  predicted  the  coming  of  the  Messiah.  She  is  old  ;  and 
her  attributes  are  a  serpent  beneath  her  feet,  and  a  lantern  in  her 
hand. 

The  Sibylla  Lihyca  prophesied  the  manifestation  of  Christ  to  the 
Gentiles.     She  is  twenty-four  years  old,  and  bears  a  lighted  torch. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  283 

The  S'hijHa  Eryt'unjea  is  the  prophetess  of  Divine  vengeaiico. 
She  predicted  the  Trojan  War;  in  this  character  slie  iiolds  a  naked 
sword.  But  it  is  ako  said  that  she  foretold  the  Annunciation,  and 
in  this  representation  she  has  a  white  rt)se.      !She  is  old. 

The  Sibylla  Delphica.  Her  attributes  are  a  horn,  or  the  crown  of 
thorns. 

IVie  Sibylla  Samia.  Attributes,  a  reed,  or  a  cradle.  She  lived,  it 
is  supposed,  in  the  time  of  Isaiah. 

The  Sibylla  Cimmeria  prophesied  the  Crucifixion.  She  is  eighteen, 
years  old,  and  has  a  cross  or  a  crucifix. 

The  Sibylla  Cumana  is  fifteen  years  old ;  and  her  attribute  is  a 
manger,  she  having  foreseen  the  Nativity  in  a  stable. 

The  Sibylla  Hellesjjontiaa,  prophesied  the  Incarnation  and  also  the 
Crucifixion.     Her  attributes  are  the  crucifix  and  a  budding  rod. 

The  Sibylla  Phrygia  prophesied  the  Resurrection.  Attributes,  a 
banner  and  a  cross. 

The  Sibylla  Tiburtina  symbolizes  the  mocking  and  the  flagellation 
of  Christ.     She  is  dressed  in  skins,  and  bears  a  rod. 

The  Sibylla  Acjrippa.     Attribute,  9,  scourge  ;  fifteen  years  old. 

The  Sibylla  Europa  prophesied  the  Massacre  of  the  Innocents. 
Attribute,  a  sword  ;  fifteen  years  old.  Sometimes  all  the  sibyls  have 
books  in  which  they  read  ;  or  they  bear  torches  or  lanterns  ;  and 
some  have  a  sun  on  the  iiead. 

St  Sigismond  of  Burgundy  {Ital.  San  Gismondo)  was  the 
son  of  Gondul)ald  and  the  cousin  of  St.  Clotilda,  wife  of  Clovis,  Kin<r 
of  France.  Gondubald  was  an  Arian,  and  had  murdered  the  parents 
of  Clotilda.  Sigismond  was  a  devout  Catliolic ;  but  he  fell  into 
grievous  sin  by  putting  to  death  his  eldest  son  on  the  accusation 
of  his  second  wife,  who  hated  and  falsely  accused  tlie  son  of  her 
predecessor.  Sigismond  later  was  seized  with  remorse,  and  sorely 
repented  liis  crime.  He  prayed  that  his  deserved  punislmient  might 
be  inflicted  in  this  world  rather  than  in  the  next,  and  his  prayer  was 
granted  ;  for  Chlodomir,  the  barbarous  king  of  the  Franks,  invaded 
his  kingdom,  took  him  prisoner,  and  finally  drowned  him  in  a  well  at 
Columelle,  four  leagues  from  Orleans.  His  body  was  at  length  fotmd, 
and  removed  to  the  convent  of  St.  Maurice.  In  a  chapel  dedicated 
to  St.  Sigismond,  in  Cremona,  Francesco  Sforza  was  married  to 
Bianca  Visconti ;  and  in  witness  of  his  love  and  gratitude  he  adorned 


284  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

tills  chapel  with  great  beauty.  St.  Sigismond  is  rei)resented  in  the 
splendid  altar-piece,  by  Giuliu  Campi.  He  is  patron  saint  of  Cremona. 
May  1,  A.  D.  52.3. 

Simeon,  The  Prophet.  See  the  Madonna.  The  Presentation 
in  the  Temple. 

St.  Simon  Zelotes,  or  The  Zealot ;  St.  Jude,  Thaddeus, 
or  Lebbeus  {Ital.  San  Simoiie,  San  Taddeo ;  Fr.  St.  Simon  le  Zi  h-, 
St.  Tiiaddee ;  Ger.  Judas,  Thaddaus).  St.  Simon  is  snrnamed  the 
Canansean,  or  Canaanite,  and  Zelotes,  or  the  Zealot,  to  distinguish 
him  from  St.  Peter,  and  from  St.  Simeon,  the  brother  of  St.  James 
the  Less.  The  name  '*  Cananaean  *'  has,  in  Syro-Chaldaic,  the  same 
meaning  which  the  word  ''Zelotes"  bears  in  Greek.  St.  Luke  trans- 
lated it ;  but  the  other  Evangelists  retained  the  original  name,  for 
Canath,  in  Syro-Chaldaic,  or  modern  Hebrew,  signifies  "zeal."  St. 
Jude  is  distinguished  from  the  Iscariot  by  the  surname  of  Thaddeus, 
and  also  by  that  of  Lebbeus.  He  was  brother  to  St.  James  the  Less, 
also  to  St.  Simeon  of  Jerusalem,  and  a  certain  Joses;  all  of  whom 
were  kinsmen  of  Christ,  their  mother  being  the  sister  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin.  St.  Jude  wrote  a  Catholic,  or  general,  epistle  to  all  the 
churches  of  the  East.  We  have  no  authentic  record  of  the  laboi-s 
of  these  Apostles,  nor  of  the  manner  of  their  martyrdom.  It  is 
thought  that  St.  Simon  was  sawn  asunder,  and  St.  Jude  killed 
with  a  halberd.  They  therefore  bear  the  saw  and  halberd  as  their 
attril»utes.  They  are  sometimes  represented  as  young,  and  again  as 
old,  according  to  the  tradition  which  the  artist  follows.  In  Greek 
art,  Jude  and  Thaddeus  are  different  persons,  Jude  being  young  and 
Thaddeus  old.  They  have  rarely  been  represented  as  members  of  the 
Sacra  Famiglin,  and  when  so  introduced  have  their  names  in  the 
glories  altout  their  heads.      Both  saints  are  honored  on  October  28. 

St.  Siro,  or  Syrus,  whose  statue  is  in  the  cathedral  of  Pavia, 
was  first  bishop  of  that  city,  and  governed  the  church  fifty-six  years. 
His  f'ffigv  appears  on  the  coins  of  Pavia. 

St.  Stanislas  Kotzka,  a  young  Polish  nobleman,  was  among 
the  earliest  ])upils  of  the  Jesuits.  He  was  distinguished  for  his 
piety  as  a  child.  His  mother  educated  him  until  he  was  fourteen, 
when  he  went  to  Vienna.  He  entered  the  Society  of  Jesus  through 
the  influence  of  Francis  Borgia.  He  died  at  Kome  when  but  seven- 
teen.    Once  he  fell  sick  at  Vienna,  and  being  apparently  near  death, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  285 

desired  the  Viaticum.  The  landlord,  a  Lutheran,  would  not  suffer  it 
to  be  brought  publicly  to  tlie  house,  whereupon  the  saint  seemed 
in  a  vision  to  receive  communion  at  the  hands  of  an  angel.  He  is 
represented  in  art  on  a  couch  with  an  angel  at  his  side.  lie  is  one 
of  the  patron  saints  of  Poland,  and  as  such  his  attribute  is  the  lily. 
November  13,  a.  d.  1589. 

St.  Stephen,  Protomartyr  {Lat.  S.  Stephanus ;  Ital.  San  Ste- 
fano;  Fr,  St.  Etienne  ;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Stefan).  Little  has  been 
added  to  the  Scripture  account  of  this  holy  deacon  by  tradition  or 
the  fancy  of  his  votaries.  His  name  is  significant  of  faith,  devotion, 
zeal,  and  enduring  love  ;  it  commands  the  veneration  of  the  world, 
standing  as  it  does  at  the  head  of  the  great  and  ''noble  army  of 
martyrs."  He  was  chosen  deacon  during  the  first  ministry  of  Peter, 
and  did  great  wonders  and  miracles.  He  was  falsely  accused  of 
speaking  blasphemously  of  the  Temple  and  the  Jewish  law.  For 
this  he  was  condemned  to  death,  and  stoned  by  the  people  outside 
of  the  gate  at  Jerusalem,  now  called  by  his  name.  The  legend  con- 
cerning his  relics  relates  that  it  was  not  known  for  four  hundred  years 
what  had  become  of  his  body.  Then  a  certain  priest  of  Carsagamala  in 
Palestine,  named  Lucian,  had  a  vision  in  which  Gamaliel,  the  same 
who  had  instructed  Paul  in  all  the  learning  of  the  Jews,  appeared  to 
him,  and  revealed  the  burying-place  of  Stephen.  Gamaliel  himself 
had  taken  up  the  body  and  had  placed  it  in  his  own  sepulchre,  where 
he  had  also  interred  Nicodemus  and  other  holy  men  and  saints.  This 
dream  or  vision  was  repeated  a  second  and  third  time.  Then  Lucian, 
with  the  sanction  of  the  bishop,  dug  in  a  garden  that  had  been 
pointed  out,  and  found  the  relics  of  St.  Stephen,  and  their  wonderful 
sanctity  was  proved  by  many  miracles.  They  were  first  placed  in  the 
church  of  Sion  at  Jerusalem  ;  then  carried  by  Theodosius  to  Con- 
stantinople ;  and  lastly  by  Pope  Pelagius  to  Rome,  where  they  were 
deposited  in  the  same  tomb  with  those  of  St.  Laurence.  The  legend 
adds  that  when  the  sarcophagus  was  opened  to  receive  these  sacred 
remains,  St.  Laurence  moved  to  the  left,  thus  giviusj  the  honorable 
right  hand  to  St.  Stephen.  On  this  account  St.  Laurence  is  called 
by  the  populace  of  Ptome  "II  cortese  Spagnuolo  "  ("the  courteous 
Spaniard").  St.  Stephen  is  represented  as  young  and  beardless, 
in  the  dress  of  a  deacon.  The  dalmatica  is  square  and  straight  at 
the  bottom,  with  large  sleeves  and  heavy  gold  tassels  hanging  from 


286  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

the  shoulders  ;  it  is  crimson  and  richly  embroidered.  He  has  the 
palm  almost  always,  and  the  stones  are  his  special  attribute,  and 
when  given  to  him  it  is  impossible  to  mistake  him ;  but  when  they 
are  left  out,  he  is  like  St.  Vincent.     December  26. 

St.  Stephen  of  Hungary  was  the  son  of  Duke  Geysa.  His 
father  and  mother  were  baptized  late  in  life  by  St.  Adelbert,  the  North- 
umbrian missionary.  They  gave  their  son  the  name  of  the  Proto- 
martyr.  Stephen  was  thus  the  first  Christian  king  of  Hungary.  He 
found  his  country  in  ignorance  and  heathenism ;  he  not  only  Chris- 
tianized it,  but  he  subdued  other  pagan  nations  about  him  and 
brought  them  also  into  the  Church.  He  sent  to  Rome  requesting 
the  pope  to  grant  him  the  title  of  king  and  to  give  him  his  benedic- 
tion. The  pope  sent  him  a  crown,  and  a  cross  to  be  borne  before  his 
army.  !Maria  Teresa  was  crowned  with  this  diadem,  which  was  pre- 
served at  Presburg.  St.  Stephen  married  the  sister  of  St.  Henry 
called  Gisela.  No  child  survived  him,  and  his  son  St.  Emeric  is 
associated  with  him  in  the  veneration  of  the  Hungarians.  He  is  rep- 
resented in  armor  with  his  crown.  As  apostle  of  Hungary  he  bears  the 
standard  with  the  cross  and  the  sword.     September  2,  a.  d.  1038. 

Sudarium.     See  St.  Veronica. 

St.  Susanna  was  the  daughter  of  Gabinius,  brother  of  Pope 
Caius,  and  nearly  related  to  the  Emperor  Diocletian.  She  was  re- 
markable for  her  beauty,  but  more  so  for  her  learning.  Diocletian 
desired  her  as  a  wife  for  his  adopted  son  Maximns.  She  had  made 
a  vow  of  chastity,  and  refused  even  this  tempting  offer.  Then 
Diocletian  desired  his  empress,  Serena,  to  try  her  influence  with  the 
maiden.  Put  Serena  was  herself  a  Christian,  and  sympathized  with 
Susanna  in  her  determination.  At  length  Diocletian  became  exas- 
perated at  her  firmness,  and  sent  an  executioner  who  killed  her  in 
her  own  house.  Her  attributes  are  the  sword  and  palm.  August  11, 
A.  D.   200. 

Susanna.  The  illustrations  of  the  history^  of  Susanna  are  often 
seen  among  works  of  art ;  indeed,  **  Susanna  at  the  Path  "  is  seen 
at  least  once  in  almost  every  picture  gallery  of  any  size.  She  was 
of  Pabylon,  the  daughter  of  Chelcias,  and  of  exceeding  beauty.     She 

1  The  Catliolic  f'lmrcli  incliules  tlie  Book  of  Daniel,  in  which  this  history  is 
given,  among  the  inspired  writings. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  287 

was  married  to  Joacim,  a  very  rich  man,  and  greatly  respected  ;  and 
unto  his  liouse  all  the  Jews  resorted.  There  was  a  fair  garden 
adjoining  this  house,  and  there  Susanna  was  often  seen  walking  with 
her  maids.  Now  there  were  two  judges,  elders  of  tlie  people,  and 
both  wicked  men,  who  came  each  day  to  Joacim's  house ;  and  they 
both  desired  to  possess  tSusanna,  for  her  beauty  had  intlamed  their 
hearts.  So  it  happened  that  one  day,  when  all  the  people  departed 
at  noon,  they  departed  also,  but  they  both  returned  and  went  into 
the  garden  to  watch  for  Susanna ;  and  when  they  met  there,  being 
surprised,  they  each  questioned  the  other  of  what  he  sought.  Then 
they  acknowledged  their  wicked  purposes,  and  agreed  together  that 
they  would  hide,  and  wait  for  the  coming  of  the  woman.  Then  came 
Susanna  with  two  maids,  and  it  was  warm,  and  she  thinking  the 
garden  empty  save  of  herself,  sent  her  maids  to  bring  oil  and  wash- 
ing balls,  that  she  might  bathe  there.  So  they  left  her  to  bring  these 
things,  and  they  shut  the  door  of  the  garden,  as  she  had  also  told 
them.  Then  the  two  judges  laid  hold  of  her,  and  they  told  her  their 
wicked  designs  upon  her,  and  they  said,  "  If  you  consent  not  unto  us, 
we  will  accuse  you,  and  say  that  we  saw  a  young  man  with  you  here, 
and  the  doors  were  shut,  and  the  maids  sent  away."  Then  Susanna 
sighed,  and  said,  ''I  am  straitened  on  every  side:  for  if  I  do  this 
thing,  it  is  death  unto  me ;  and  if  I  do  it  not,  I  cannot  escape  j'our 
hands.  It  is  better  for  me  to  fall  into  your  hands  and  not  do  it,  than 
to  sin  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.''  Then  she  cried  out,  and  the  elders 
cried  out  against  her,  and  they  opened  the  door,  and  the  servants  of 
the  house  rushed  in ;  then  the  elders  declared  against  her,  and  all 
were  sorrowful,  "for  there  was  never  such  a  report  made  of  Susanna." 
Now  the  next  day,  when  all  the  people  were  assembled,  these  elders 
came ;  and  they  called  for  Susanna,  and  Joacim  was  there,  and  his 
wife  came  with  her  children,  and  her  parents  and  friends.  Then  the 
elders  made  accusation  against  her  that  they  had  seen  her  with  the 
young  man,  and  that  he  had  escaped,  but  her  they  had  retained. 
And  they  compelled  her  to  raise  her  veil,  and  expose  her  beauty  to 
the  people.  Now  the  assembly  believed  the  accusation,  and  she  was 
condemned  to  death,  and  all  her  friends  were  weeping  and  filled  with 
grief;  but  she  raised  her  eyes  to  heaven,  and  cried,  "0  everlasting 
God  !  that  knowest  the  secrets,  and  knowest  all  things  before  they 
be ;  thou  knowest  that  they  have  borne  false  witness  against  me,  and 


288  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

behold,  I  must  die,  whereas  I  never  did  such  things  as  these  men 
have  maliciously  invented  against  me."  Then  the  Lord  heard  her 
cry,  and  there  arose  a  young  man  called  Daniel,  and  cried  out,  "  I 
am  clear  from  the  blood  of  this  woman."  Then  the  people  asked  -the 
meaning  of  his  words,  and  he  declared  that  it  was  not  just  to  con- 
demn a  daughter  of  Israel  without  examination,  and  he  begged  them 
to  return  again  to  the  place  of  judgment.  So  they  returned ;  and 
Daniel  desired  that  the  elders  might  be  separated  that  he  might  ques- 
tion first  one,  and  then  the  other.  And  it  was  so ;  and  taking  them 
separately,  Daniel  asked  them  of  the  place  where  they  had  seen  that 
of  which  tliey  accused  Susanna.  And  they  contradicted  each  other  ; 
for  one  said  it  was  beneath  a  mastic  tree,  and  the  other  said  the  tree 
was  an  holm.  Then  Daniel  said  that  having  thus  lied,  they  could 
not  be  trusted,  and  the  whole  accusation  was  false,  and  he  desired 
that  they  might  be  punished  for  their  false  witness  according  to  the 
law  of  Moses.  So  they  were  put  to  death,  even  as  they  had  intended 
to  kill  Susanna.  Then  the  family  of  the  woman  and  Joacim,  her 
husband,  rejoiced  greatly  because  there  was  no  dishonesty  found  in 
her,  and  Daniel  from  that  day  forth  had  great  reputation  in  the  sight 
of  the  peopjlc. 

St.  Swidbert,  who  was  a  Benedictine  monk,  left  England  to  lead 
the  life  of  a  missionary  in  Friesland  and  the  Duchy  of  Berg.  He 
built  a  large  monastery  in  Kaiserwerdt  (about  six  miles  below  Dus- 
seldorf)  on  the  Rhine.  He  is  represented  as  a  bishop  holding  a 
star,  which  probably  signifies  the  rising  light  of  the  Gospel  which  he 
preached  to  the  pagans.     March  1,  a.  d.  713. 

St.  Swithen  was  associated  with  St.  Neot  in  educating  Alfred 
the  Great.  He  was  Bishop  of  Winchester.  It  is  told  of  him  that 
when  superintending  the  building  of  a  bridge  near  Winchester,  a 
poor  woman  complained  to  him  that  a  workman  had  broken  the  eggs 
in  her  basket,  whereupon  St.  Swithen  made  the  eggs  whole.  He 
went  to  lioine  with  Alfred.  He  desired  that  his  body  should  be 
buried  with  the  poor  people,  outside  the  church,  "  under  the  feet  of 
tlie  passengers,  and  exposed  to  the  droppings  of  the  eaves  from 
above."  When  the  clergy  attempted  to  remove  his  body  to  a  more 
honorable  tomb  inside  the  church,  there  came  on  a  storm  of  ruin, 
which  prevented  their  doing  so  ;  and  this  continued  forty  days  until 
the  project  was  abandoned.    It  would  seem  that  there  could  have  been 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  289 

no  necessity  for  suffering  from  want  of  rain  in  Winchester  in  those 
times.     St.  Swithen  is  represented  as  a  bishop.     July  2,  a.  d.  862. 

St.  Sylvester,  Pope  {Ital.  San  Silvestro ;  Fr.  St.  Silvestre). 
He  is  represented  in  pontifical  robes,  with  the  plain  mitre,  or  the 
triple  tiara,  with  the  book  and  crosier  as  bishop.  His  proper  attribute 
is  the  bull,  which  crouches  at  his  feet;  his  dress  distinguishes  him 
from  St.  Luke,  who  has  the  ox.  Sometimes  he  holds  the  portraits 
of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul.     December  31,  a.  d.  335. 

For  legends,  see  Constantino,  Emperor. 

St.  Teresa  {Ital.  Santa  Teresa,  Fondatrice  dei  Scalzi  ;  Fr.  Ste. 
Therese  de  Jesus  des  Carmes-Dechausses ;  Sp.  La  Xuestra  Serafica 
Madra  Santa  Teresa  de  Jesus).  The  father  of  this  saint  was  Don 
Alphonso  Sanchez  de  Cepeda,  and  her  mother  was  named  Beatrix. 
She  herself  is  called  Teresa  d'Avila,  on  account  of  the  place  of  her 
birth,  which  was  Avila,  in  Castile.  She  was  born  March  28,  1515, 
and  was  one  of  twelve  brothers  and  sisters.  Her  father  was  ex- 
exceedingly  pious,  and  her  mother  extremely  romantic.  Under  these 
two  influences  the  character  of  the  saint  was  formed.  Among  her 
brothers  was  one  of  ardent  temperament,  sympathetic  with  her  own, 
whom  she  dearly  loved.  They  especiall}'-  delighted  in  reading  the 
lives  of  the  saints  and  martyrs,  and  they/ conceived  a  passionate 
desire  to  obtain  the  crown  of  martyrdom  themselves.  When  but 
eight  or  nine  years  of  age,  they  sought  to  go  into  the  country  of  the 
Moors,  hoping  to  be  taken  and  sacrificed  by  the  infidels.  They  were  dis- 
appointed in  this  project,  and  then  resolved  to  become  hermits,  but  were 
prevented  from  thus  pleasing  themselves.  But  they  bestowed  all  their 
pocket-money  in  alms  ;  and  whenever  they  played  with  other  chil- 
dren, they  always  took  the  characters  of  monks  and  nuns,  —  walked 
in  processions  and  sang  hymns.  When  Teresa  was  twelve  years  old, 
her  mother  died.  During  her  girlhood  she  seems  to  have  forgotten 
her  religious  impressions,  and  to  have  given  herself  up  to  dress  and 
pleasure,  pride  of  position,  and  self-love.  She  ardently  longed  to  be 
loved,  and  admired.  Her  father  saw  the  dangers  which  surromided 
her,  and  placed  her  in  a  convent,  commanding  that  she  should  be 
strictly  secluded  from  the  world.  Again  her  i-eligious  nature  was 
aroused,  and  she  felt  that  a  convent  was  her  only  haven  of  peace 
and  safety.  A  marriage  which  was  disagreeable  had  been  pro- 
posed to  her.     The  conflict  between  her  diflering  tastes  and  incliua 

19 


290  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

tions  was  so  serious  that  she  fell  ill.  Ajj^ain,  on  her  recovery,  the 
struggle  was  renewed,  and  a  second  time  she  was  prostrated  by  sick- 
ness. All  this  shows  the  extreme  sensitiveness  and  ardor  of  her  na- 
ture. At  length  the  writings  of  St.  Jerome  decided  her  to  lead  a 
religious  life.  Her  fjitlier  consented  ;  but  again  her  mental  sufferings 
on  parting  from  her  family  nearly  cost  her  her  life.  She  entered 
the  convent  of  Carmelites  at  Avila  at  the  age  of  twenty.  Here  her 
mind  became  more  settled,  though  not  at  rest,  and  her  health  was 
long  enfeebled.  She  herself  writes  that  for  twenty  years  she  did 
not  find  the  repose  for  which  she  had  hoped.  But  she  adds,  "At 
length  God  took  pity  on  me.  I  read  the  '  Confessions  of  St.  Au- 
gustine.' I  saw  how  he  had  been  tempted,  how  he  had  been  tried, 
and  how  he  had  at  length  conqnered."  From  this  time  there  was 
a  change  in  her  life  and  feeling.  About  the  year  1561  Tei-esa  set 
her  mind  upon  reforming  the  Order  of  Mount  Carmel.  From  the 
people  of  Avila  she  obtained  money,  and  there  she  founded  her  con- 
vent. She  dedicated  it  to  St.  Joseph,  whom  she  had  chosen  for  her 
patron  saint.  "When  she  entered  her  convent  she  had  but  eight 
nuns  with  her ;  before  her  death  there  were  thirty  convents  estab- 
lished according  to  her  rule.  She  met  with  great  difficulties,  but 
she  overcame  them  ;  and  during  the  later  years  of  her  life  she 
travelled  fiom  convent  to  convent,  promulgating  the  reformed  rules 
of  her  order,  and  settling  all  points  of  difficulty.  Her  labors  were 
not  for  nunneries  alone ;  she  also  effected  changes  in  monasteries,  and 
indeed  founded  fifteen  convents  for  men.  It  was  she  who  made  the 
Carmelites  go  barefoot  or  sandalled.  Hence  arises  the  term  "  Bare- 
foot Carmelites."  In  Italy  they  are  called  *'Scalzi"  ("the  Unshod") 
and  also  "  Padri  Teresiani."  St.  Teresa  wrote  many  essays  and  ex- 
hortations for  her  nuns  ;  some  mystical  and  poetical  writings,  and 
a  history  of  her  life,  at  the  command  of  her  spiritual  directors. 
She  never  recovered  tlie  perfect  use  of  her  limbs  after  the  repeated 
sicknesses  of  her  youth,  and  with  years  her  infirmities  increased. 
She  was  attacked  witii  her  last  illness  at  the  palace  of  the  Duehess 
of  Alva.  She  desired  to  be  removed  to  her  own  convent  of  San  Jos^. 
In  her  last  moments  she  repeated  the  text  from  the  Miserere,  *'A 
broken  and  contrite  heart,  0  Lord,  thou  wilt  not  despise."  Her  shrine 
at  Avila  in  the  church  of  her  convent  is  a  very  holy  place,  and  many 
pilgrims  visit  it.     The  nuns  of  the  convent  always  sit  on  the  steps 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  291 

and  not  on  the  seats  of  the  choir,  because  there  is  a  tradition  that 
the  angels  occupied  these  seats  whenever  St.  Teresa  attended  mass. 
She  is  represented  kneehng ;  and  a  flame-tipped  arrow  pierces  her 
breast, — a  symbol  of  the  fervor  of  Divine  love  which  possessed  her 
soul.  Sometimes  she  is  gazing  upwards  towards  the  holy  dove,  a 
symbol  of  inspiration,  —  a  divine  gift  never  claimed  by  St.  Teresa. 
Philip  III.  chose  her  for  the  second  patron  saint  of  Spain,  ranking 
her  next  to  Santiago.  The  Cortes  confirmed  his  choice.  October  15, 
A.D.  1582. 

St.  Thecla  {Ital.  Santa  Tecla;  Fr.  Ste.  Thkle;  Ger.  Die  Hcilige 
Thekla).  Although  more  especially  honored  by  the  Greeks,  Thecla  lias 
also  been  accepted  and  reverenced  in  the  Latin  Church.  St.  John  pro- 
nounced the  book  called  the  "Acts  of  Paul  and  Thecla"  to  be  spurious ; 
but  in  the  earliest  days  of  the  Church  it  was  thought  the  highest  praise 
of  any  woman  to  compare  her  to  St.  Thecla.  The  legend  relates 
that  when  St.  Paul  preached  in  the  house  of  Onesiphorus  at  Iconiura, 
Thecla  could  hear  his  sermons  in  her  own  house,  by  sitting  at  the 
window,  and  she  became  so  entranced  by  what  she  heard  that  she 
would  not  turn  her  head  or  leave  the  window  for  any  purpose.  Now 
she  was  betrothed  to  Thamyris,  who  loved  her  with  great  devotion. 
Her  mother,  Theoclea,  sent  for  the  youth,  and  told  him  how  intent  the 
maiden  was  upon  the  words  of  Paul ;  that  she  would  neither  eat  nor 
drink,  and  seemed  to  care  for  nothing  but  what  she  heard  from  the 
Apostle.  Then  Thamyris  also  entreated  her  with  words  of  love,  but 
she  would  not  heed  him.  Then  he  complained  to  the  governor,  and 
the  governor  imprisoned  Paul,  until  he  should  have  time  to  hear  him 
in  his  own  defence.  But  Thecla  went  to  the  prison,  and  bribed  the 
turnkey  with  her  earrings,  and  the  jailer  with  a  silver  looking-glass, 
and  so  gained  admission  to  Paul.  She  sat  at  his  feet  and  listened 
to  his  instructions,  and  kissed  his  chains  in  her  delight.  When  the 
governor  heard  all  this,  he  commanded  that  Paul  should  be  scourged 
and  driven  out  of  the  city,  and  that  Thecla  should  be  burned.  So 
the  young  people  of  the  city  gathered  wood  for  the  burning  of  Thecla, 
and  she  was  brought  naked  to  the  stake,  where  her  beauty  moved 
the  hearts  of  all,  and  even  the  governor  wept  at  the  thought  of  the 
death  she  was  to  suffer.  But  when  the  fire  was  kindled,  although 
it  was  very  large,  the  flames  did  not  touch  her,  and  she  remained  in 
the  midst  of  it  uninjured.     At  length  the  fire  was  extinguished,  and 


292  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

she  made  her  escape.  Then  Paul  took  her  to  Antioch,  where  she 
was  au:ain  accused  before  the  governor,  who  condemned  her  to  be 
thrown  to  the  beasts  of  tlie  amphitheatre.  When  this  sentence  was 
known,  it  created  great  indignation,  and  the  people  cried  out,  saying, 
"  The  judgments  declared  in  this  city  are  unjust."  But  Thecla  sub- 
mitted without  reproaches,  only  asking  of  the  governor  that  her 
chastity  might  be  respected  until  the  time  of  her  martyrdom.  Now, 
when  the  time  arrived,  the  amphitheatre  was  crowded  with  spectators. 
Thecla  was  deprived  of  her  garments,  and  a  girdle  fastened  about 
her  waist,  and  the  beasts  were  let  in  upon  her.  Murmurs  of  rage 
and  disapprobation  arose  from  the  populace.  The  women  cried  out, 
"  0  unrighteous  judgment !  0  cruel  sight !  The  whole  city  ought  to 
suffer  for  such  crimes ! "  and  a  woman  named  Trissina  wept  aloud. 
But  a  fiei'ce  lioness  bounded  towards  Thecla,  and  when  she  reached 
her  lay  down  at  her  feet ;  all  the  bears  and  the  lions  also  stretched 
themselves  out  as  if  asleep.  Then  the  governor  called  Thecla  and 
asked,  *'  Who  art  thou,  woman,  that  not  one  of  the  beasts  will  touch 
thee?"  And  Thecla  replied,  *'I  am  a  servant  of  the  living  God, 
and  a  believer  in  Jesus  Christ  his  Son."  And  tlie  governor  ordered 
that  her  garments  should  be  brought,  and  saying  to  her,  "  Put  on 
thy  apparel,"  he  released  her.  Then  Trissina  took  Thecla  to  her 
own  home.  But  Thecla  desired  much  to  see  Paul,  and  determined 
to  go  in  search  of  him.  Trissina  gave  her  much  money  and  clothing 
for  the  poor,  in  order  that  Paul  might  be  aided  in  his  work.  Thecla 
found  him  at  Myra  in  Lycia,  where  he  preached  and  labored  for  the 
conversion  of  the  people.  Tliecla  returned  to  Iconium,  and  after 
years  spent  in  the  service  of  Christ,  she  was  led  by  the  Spirit  to 
retire  to  a  mountain  near  Seleucia,  where  she  lived  in  solitude  and 
was  beset  witli  great  temptations.  AVhile  she  lived  in  this  mountain, 
she  wrought  many  miraculous  cures ;  so  that  when  the  sick  were 
brought  to  her  cave  the}'  w^ere  healed,  and  the  physicians  of  Seleucia 
were  of  no  account.  Then  they  consulted  and  said,  **  This  woman 
must  be  a  priestess  of  Diana.  It  is  by  her  chastity  she  does  tliese 
cures.  If  we  could  destroy  that,  her  power  would  be  overthrown." 
So  they  sent  evil  men  to  do  her  violence.  And  Thecla  ran  from 
them,  praying  for  aid  from  Heaven  ;  and  lo !  a  great  rock  opened  be- 
fore her,  leaving  a  space  large  enough  for  her  to  enter;  and  when  she 
went  in,  it  closed  and  she  was  seen  no  more,  but  her  veil,  which  one 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  293 

of  the  men  had  seized,  remained  in  his  hand.  The  legend  adds : 
"  Thus  suffered  the  blessed  virgin  and  martyr  Thecla,  who  came  from 
Iconium  at  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  afterwards,  partly  in  journeys 
and  travels,  and  partly  in  a  monastic  life  in  the  cave,  lived  seventy- 
two  years,,  so  that  she  was  ninety  years  of  age  when  the  Lord  trans- 
lated her."  Thecla  is  honored  as  the  first  female  martyr  in  the  Greek 
Church.  St.  Martin  of  Tours  greatly  venerated  her,  and  greatly 
promoted  devotion  to  her  in  the  Latin  Church.  She  is  represented 
in  brown  or  gray  drapery,  and  bears  the  palm.  Wild  beasts  are  about 
her.     Patroness  of  Tarragona.     September  23.     First  century. 

St.  Theodore  {Lat.  S.  Theodorus ;  Ital  San  Teodoro ;  Ger.  Der 
Heilige  Theodor).  This  is  a  warrior  saint.  He  held  a  high  rank 
in  the  army  of  Licinius.  He  was  converted  to  Christianity,  and  set 
on  fire  the  temple  of  Cybele.  Some  legends  state  that  he  was  burned 
alive ;  others,  that  he  was  beheaded.  He  is  represented  in  armor, 
with  a  dragon  beneath  his  feet.  He  was  patron  saint  of  Venice 
before  St.  Mark.  There  is  another  St.  Theodore  sometimes  repre- 
sented in  Greek  art,  called  St.  Theodore  of  Heraclea.  He  is  painted 
as  an  armed  knight  on  horseback.  The  Venetian  saint  is  represented 
in  the  more  ancient  pictures  as  young  and  beautiful,  and  often  in 
company  with  St.  George.     January  11,  a.  d.  300. 

St.  Theonestus  was  one  of  the  saints  of  the  Theban  Legion. 
See  St.  Maurice. 

St.  Theophilus  (C'r,  "Ay.  0eo<^iXo? ;  Lat  S.  Theophilus;  Ital. 
and  Sp.  San  Teofilo ;  Ger.  Der  Heilige  Theophilus,  Gottlieb ;  Fr.  St. 
Theophile:  signification,  "a  lover  of  God").     See  St.  Dorothea. 

St.  Thomas  {Ital.  San  Tommaso ;  Sp.  San  Tom6)  was  a  Gali- 
lean fisherman ;  he  is  called  Didymus,  the  twin,  and  is  the  seventh 
in  the  ranks  of  the  Apostles.  From  the  Scripture  his  character  ap- 
pears to  be  affectionate  and  self  sacrificing :  ''Let  us  go  also,  that  we 
may  die  with  him."  But  so  great  was  his  incredulity  that  he  has 
always  been  remembered  for  that  rather  than  for  his  other  charac- 
teristics. According  to  tradition  he  travelled  very  far  into  the  East; 
founded  a  church  in  India,  and  met  the  three  jNIagi,  whom  he  bap- 
tized. The  legend,  called  that  of  "  La  Madonna  della  Cintola,"  re- 
lates that  when  the  Virgin  ascended  to  heaven,  Thomas  was  not 
present  with  the  other  Apostles.  Three  days  later,  when  he  re- 
turned, he  could  not  believe  their  account,  and  desired  her  tomb  to 


294  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

be  opened.  It  was  empty ;  then  the  Virgin,  that  he  might  be  satis- 
fied, dropped  her  girdle  to  him  from  the  heavens.  (See  also  the 
Madonna;  the  Assumption.)  According  to  another  legend,  when 
Thomas  was  at  Caesarea,  he  had  a  vision  in  which  Christ  appeared 
and  told  him  that  Gondoforus,  the  king  of  the  Indies,  had  sent  his 
provost  to  find  an  architect  to  build  him  a  palace  more  gorgeous 
tiian  that  of  the  Koman  Emperor.  And  Jesus  desired  St.  Thomas  to 
go  and  undertake  this  labor.  Then  Thomas  went,  and  Gondoforus 
gave  him  much  treasure,  and  commanded  the  building  of  the  mag- 
nificent palace,  and  went  to  a  distant  country  and  remained  two 
years.  Thomas  budt  no  palace,  but  gave  all  the  riches  with  which 
he  had  been  intrusted  to  the  poor  and  sick.  AVhen  the  king  re- 
turned he  was  very  wroth,  and  ordered  that  St.  Thomas  should  be 
cast  into  prison,  and  reserved  for  a  terrible  death.  Now  at  this  time 
the  brother  of  the  king  died,  and  four  days  after  his  death  he  sat 
upright,  and  spoke  to  the  king,  saying,  *'  The  man  whom  thou  wouldst 
torture  is  a  servant  of  God  :  behold,  I  have  been  in  Paradise,  and 
the  angels  showed  to  me  a  wondrous  palace  of  gold  and  silver  and 
precious  stones ;  and  they  said,  '  This  is  the  palace  that  Thomas 
the  architect  hath  built  for  thy  brother.  King  Gondoforus.'  The 
king  ran  to  the  prison  to  liberate  Thomas.  Then  the  Apostle  said, 
"Knowest  thou  not  that  those  who  would  possess  heavenly  things 
have  little  care  for  the  things  of  this  earth  1  There  are  in  heaven 
rich  palaces  without  number,  which  were  prepared  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world  for  those  who  purchase  the  possession  through 
faith  and  charity.  Thy  riches,  0  king,  may  prepare  the  way  for 
thee  to  such  a  palace,  but  they  cannot  follow  thee  thither."  Ac- 
cording to  tradition  the  Portuguese  found  at  Meliapore  an  inscription, 
saying  that  Thomas  was  pierced  with  a  lance  at  the  foot  of  a  cross 
which  he  had  erected  in  that  city,  and  that  his  body  had  been  re- 
moved to  Goa  in  1523.  When  represented  as  an  Apostle,  his 
attril)utc  is  the  builder's  rule  or  square.  As  a  martyr,  he  bears 
the  lance.  The  two  principal  scenes  in  which  he  is  represented, 
"The  Incredulity  of  Thomas"  and  the  "Madonna  della  Cintola,"  are 
easily  recognized.     Patron  of  Portugal  and  Parma.     December  21. 

St.  Thomas  k  Becket,  St.  Thomas  of  Canterbury  (Lat.  S. 
Thomas  Kpisc.  (Jaiituaiionsis  et  Martyr;  ltd/.  i>iu\  Toinniaso  Can- 
tuuriense ;   /V.  St.  Thomas  de   Cantorbcri).     Mrs.  Jameson,  in   her 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  295 

"Legends  of  the  Monastic  Orders,"  gives  a  summary  of  the  principal 
events  in  the  Hfe  of  this  saint,  which  is  at  once  so  concise  and  so 
comprehensive  that  I  cannot  do  better  than  to  quote  it :  "  Tlie 
whole  of  liis  varied  hfe  is  rich  in  materials  for  the  historical  painter, 
oftering  all  that  could  possibly  be  desired,  iu  pomp,  in  circumstance, 
in  scenery,  in  costume,  and  in  character.  What  a  scries  it  would  make 
of  beautiful  subjects,  beginning  with  the  legend  of  liis  motlier,  the 
daughter  of  the  Emir  of  Palestine,  who,  when  his  father,  Gill)ert  a 
Becket,  was  taken  prisoner  in  the  Crusade,  fell  in  love  witli  him, 
delivered  him  from  captivity,  and  afterwards  followed  him  to  Eng- 
land, knowing  no  words  of  any  Western  tongue,  except  *  Gilbert '  and 
'London,'  with  the  aid  of  which  she  found  him  in  Cheapside ;  then 
her  baptism ;  her  marriage ;  the  birth  of  the  future  saint ;  his  intro- 
duction to  the  king;  his  mission  to  Rome;  his  splendid  embassy  to 
Paris;  his  single-handed  combat  with  Engleran  de  Trie,  tlie  French 
knight ;  the  King  of  England  and  the  King  of  France  at  his  bed- 
side, when  he  was  sick'  at  Rouen ;  his  consecration  as  archbishop ; 
his  assumption  of  the  Benedictine  habit ;  his  midnight  penances, 
when  he  walked  alone  in  the  cloisters  bewailing  his  past  sins ;  his 
washing  the  feet  of  the  pilgrims  and  beggars ;  his  angry  conference 
with  the  king ;  their  reconciliation  at  Friatville  ;  his  progress  tlirough 
the  city  of  London,  when  the  grateful  and  enthusiastic  po(jple  flung 
themselves  in  his  path,  and  kissed  the  hem  of  his  garment ;  his 
interview  with  the  assassins;  his  murder  on  the  steps  of  the  altar; 
and  finally,  the  proud  king  kneeling  at  midnight  on  the  same  spot, 
submitting  to  be  scourged  in  penance  for  his  crime."  His  mar- 
tyrdom made  him  a  saint ;  it  gives  him  also  a  place  in  art.  When 
he  was  made  archbishop  he  ceased  to  be  chancellor,  and  became 
a  different  man,  especially  in  his  relations  to  Henry  IL  He  main- 
tained his  rank  as  spiritual  father  of  the  king  and  people  with 
great  determination.  Henry  was  at  last  desperate  at  the  continued 
opposition  of  the  courageous  priest,  and  in  a  moment  of  more  than 
usual  temper  exclaimed,  "  Of  the  cowards  that  eat  my  bread,  is  tlicre 
none  that  will  rid  me  of  this  upstart  priest  ? "  This  was  enough,  —  as 
powerful  as  a  death-w\arrant,  —  and  four  Xormans,  attendant  upon  the 
king,  bound  themselves  b}^  oath  to  murder  the  archbishop.  They 
went  to  Canterbury  ;  and  from  the  time  of  their  appearance  before 
him,  he  divined  their  awful  errand.     At  first  they  were  not  armed ; 


296  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

he  spoke  to  them  with  great  spirit,  and  declared  that  he  feared  not 
their  swords,  and  wouki  die  sooner  than  retract  what  he  had  said 
or  done.  This  enraged  them,  and  they  rnshed  ont  to  summon 
their  followers.  Then  was  heard  the  singing  of  the  Vespers,  and 
his  friends  urged  Becket  to  go  into  the  cliurch  as  a  place  of  safety. 
He  ordered  the  cross  of  Canterbury  to  be  borne  before  him,  and 
passed  through  the  cloister  into  the  church.  His  friends  barred  the 
gates  behind  him,  but  he  commanded  them  to  be  reopened,  saying 
that  God's  house  should  never  be  fortified  as  a  place  of  defence.  As 
he  ascended  the  steps  of  the  choir,  the  four  knights  witli  twelve  at- 
tendants, all  armed,  burst  into  the  church.  "Where  is  the  traitor?" 
demanded  one  of  the  number.  All  was  silent.  "  Where  is  the  arch- 
bishop 1 "  asked  Keginald  Fitzurse.  Then  Becket  replied,  "  Here  I  am  ; 
the  archbishop,  but  no  traitor !  Reginald,  I  have  granted  thee  many 
favors  ;  what  is  thy  object  now  1  If  thou  seekest  my  life,  let  that  suf- 
fice ;  and  I  command  thee,  in  the  name  of  God,  not  to  touch  one  of 
my  people."  He  was  then  told  that  he  must  absolve  the  Archbishop 
of  York  and  the  Bishop  of  Salisbury,  whom  he  had  excommunicated. 
"  Till  they  make  satisfaction,  I  will  not  absolve  them,"  he  firmly 
answered.  "Then  die!"  said  Tracy.  The  first  blow  aimed  at  his 
head  was  broken  in  its  force  by  his  cross-bearer,  so  that  he  was  but 
slightly  wounded.  Feeling  the  blood  on  his  face,  he  bowed  his  head, 
and  said,  "  In  the  name  of  Christ,  and  for  the  defence  of  his  Church, 
I  am  ready  to  die."  The  assassins  then  wished  to  remove  hitn  from 
the  church,  in  order  to  lessen  the  horrible  sacrilege  they  were  com- 
mitting ;  but  Becket  said,  "  I  will  not  stir  ;  do  here  what  yon  please, 
or  are  commanded."  He  added,  "  I  humbly  commend  my  spirit  to 
God,  who  gave  it ;  "  and  instantly  he  was  struck  down,  and  was  soon 
dead  ;  but  so  many  blows  were  lavished  on  him  that  his  brains 
strewed  the  pavement  before  the  altar.  His  monks  buried  him  in 
the  crypt  at  Canterbury.  According  to  tradition,  as  they  bore  him 
to  the  tomb,  angels  were  heard  singing  the  beginning  of  the  Service 
of  the  Martyrs,  "  Laetabitur  Justus,"  The  monks  were  for  a  moment 
amazed  ;  they  ceased  their  funeral  hymn  ;  then,  as  if  inspired,  they 
joined  their  voices  with  tlie  angelic  hymn,  and  bore  the  great  bishop 
in  triunii)h  to  his  grave.  In  due  time  he  was  canonized.  Ilis  remains 
wore  enclosed  in  a  splendid  shrine,  and  votaries  from  all  parts  of  the 
TTorld  made  pilgrimages  to  the  scene  of  his  martyrdom.     But  later, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  297 

the  power  of  the  kings  of  the  earth  burned  his  relics,  and  threw  the 
ashes  into  the  Thames.  Thomas  a  Becket  was  fifty-two  years  old 
when  he  was  martyred.  He  is  represented  as  a  bishop,  with  the 
crosier  and  the  Gospels  in  his  hand  ;  as  a  martyr,  he  is  without  the 
mitre  and  a  sword  or  axe  is  struck  into  his  head,  or  the  blood  trickles 
from  a  wound  over  his  face.     December  29,  a.  d.  1170. 

St.  Thomas  Aquinas  (Ital.  San  Tommaso  di  Aquino,  Dottore 
Angelico)  was  born  at  Belcastro  in  the  year  1226.     His  father  was 
Count  of  Aquino,  Lord  of  Loretto  and  Belcastro.     Tliomas  was  grand- 
nephew  of  Frederick  I.,  and  a  kinsman  of  the  emperors  Henry  VI. 
and  Frederick  II.      The  sweetness  of  temper  for  which  as  a  child 
he  was  remarkable,   he   preserved    through  life.      When  ten  years 
old,  the  teachers  at  Monte  Casino  declared  they  could  instruct  him 
no  further,   so  great  was  his  learning.     His   mother,   the  Countess 
Theodora,  desired  that  he  should  have  a  private  tutor,  but  his  father 
placed  him  at  the  University  of  Naples.     His  own  inclination  and 
his  mother's  counsels  kept  him  free  from  the  temptations  around  him. 
At  seventeen   he  assumed  the  Dominican   habit   at    Naples.      His 
mother  hastened  to  persuade  him  not  to  take  the  final  vows.     Fear- 
ing he  could  not  resist  her  appeals,  he  fled  towards  Paris :  but  his 
brothers,   Landolfo    and    Rinaldo,  seized    him    near  Acquapendente; 
they  tore  off  his  monk's  habit,  and  took  him  to  his  father's  castle  of 
Rocca-Secca.      Then    his   mother   came ;    and    when    her   entreaties 
would  not  prevail,  she  had  him  guarded,  and  allowed  no  one  to  see 
him  save  his  two  sisters,  who   were  instructed  to  persuade  him  to 
give  up  the  idea  of  a  religious  life.     The  result  was  that  Thomas  so 
influenced  his  sisters  that  they  sympathized  with  him,  and  aided  him 
to  escape.     He  was  lowered  from  a  window  in  a  basket ;  some  monks 
waited  for  him  below,  and  not  a  long  time  elapsed  before  he  took  his 
final  vows.     He  was  as  eminent  for  his  humility,  and  the  simplicity 
of  his  manners,  by  which  he  concealed  his  acquirements,  as  for  his 
learning.     He  was  surnamed  Bos,   the  Ox.     On  one  occasion  when 
it  was  his  duty  to  read  in  the  refectory,  the  superior  corrected  him, 
and  told  him  to  read  a  word  with  a  false  quantity.     St.  Thomas  knew 
that  he  was  right  and  the  superior  wrong,  but  he  did  as  directed 
instantly.     Being  told  that  he  should  not  have  yielded,  he  replied, 
"The  pronunciation  of  a  word  is  of  little  importance,  but  humility 
and  obedience  are  of  the  greatest."   Pope  Clement  IV.  desired  to  make 


298  LEGENDS  AND    STORIES 

him  an  archbishop,  but  he  decHned  all  preferments.  He  was  the 
most  learned  man  of  his  time^  in  the  Church.  Being  sent  on  a  mis- 
sion to  Naples,  he  was  taken  ill  at  Fossa-Nova,  on  his  journey.  He 
was  carried  to  a  Cistercian  abbey,  where  he  died.  Before  extreme 
unction  was  administered  to  him,  he  requested  to  be  laid  on  ashes  on 
the  floor.  He  is  represented  in  the  Dominican  habit.  His  attributes 
are  :  a  book  or  books ;  the  pen  or  inkhorn  ;  the  sacramental  cup,  on 
account  of  his  having  composed  the  Office  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament; 
on  his  breast  a  sun,  and  sometimes  an  eye  within  it ;  frequently  he 
looks  up  at  a  dove,  or  writes.     March  7,  a.  d.  1274. 

St.  Thomas  of  Villanueva,  surnamed  the  Almoner.  He  was 
born  in  1488.  His  parents  were  of  moderate  fortune,  but  dis- 
tinguished for  their  charities.  They  supplied  seeds  for  the  fields  of 
the  poor,  and  lent  their  money  without  interest.  The  son  inlierited 
their  charity  to  an  intense  degree.  As  a  child  he  would  take  off  his 
own  clothes  to  giv^e  away  to  children  in  the  street.  He  showed  from 
his  infancy  a  singular  fitness  for  the  ministry  of  the  Church.  He 
studied  fourteen  years  at  Alcala  and  Salamanca,  and  entered  the 
Augustiuian  Order  at  thirty  years  of  age.  In  his  life  it  is  related 
that  he  pronounced  his  vows  in  the  self-same  hour  in  which  Luther 
publicly  renounced  his.  He  passed  two  years  in  penance  and  prayer, 
and  thefi  became  an  eloquent  and  distinguished  preacher.  Charles  V., 
the  Emperor  of  Spain,  held  St.  Thomas  in  great  veneration  ;  and 
when  he  would  not  listen  to  the  entreaties  of  friends  or  the  requests 
of  his  son  Don  Philip,  ho  yielded  to  St.  Thomas,  saying  that  lie  con- 
sidered his  request  as  a  divine  command.  In  1544  Charles  named 
Thomas  Archbishop  of  Valencia.  He  reluctantly  accepted  the  office, 
and  arrived  in  Valencia  so  poorly  clad  and  provided  for,  that  his 
canons  sent  him  four  thousand  crowns  to  buy  him  an  outfit ;  he 
thanked  them,  and  sent  it  to  the  hospital  for  the  sick  ;  and  this, 
when  his  only  hat  had  been  worn  twenty-six  years!  His  whole  life 
was  but  a  gi'and  series  of  beneficent  deeds.  He  divided  the  poor 
into  six  classes:  (1)  The  bashful  poor,  who  had  been  independent, 
and  were  ashamed  to  beg;  (2)  The  poor  girls,  whose  poverty  exposed 
them  to  temptation,  to  sin  and  shame;  (3)  The  poor  debtors;  (4) 

1  Liitor  times  ]mvo  not  produced  liis  pqunl,  nuich  less  his  8U])('rior  ;  niid  his 
Holiness  Pope  Leo  XIII.  ur|,'(»s  on  all  ecclesiastics  the  study  of  the  works  of  tho 
Angelic  Doctor  St.  Thoinua  Aquinas. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  299 

Orphans  and  foundlings ;  (5)  The  lame,  sick,  and  infirm  ;  (6)  Stran- 
gers and  travellers  who  came  to  the  city  without  the  means  to  pay 
for  food  and  lodging.  For  these  he  had  a  large  kitchen,  always  open, 
where  they  could  have  food  ;  rooms  where  they  could  sleep;  and  in 
addition  a  small  sum  of  money  when  they  went  on  their  way.  Amid 
all  these  cares,  he  did  not  forget  his  duties  as  a  spiritual  teacher. 
When  the  hour  of  his  death  came,  he  had  given  away  everything 
except  tlie  pallet  on  which  he  lay,  and  this  was  to  be  given  to  a  jailer 
who  assisted  him  in  executing  his  benevolent  designs.  So  strange 
was  it,  that,  in  spite  of  all  he  had  given  away,  he  still  left  no  debts, 
that  it  was  believed  that  his  money  had  been  miraculously  increased 
according  to  his  wants.  Thousands  of  poor  people  followed  him  to 
his  grave.  "When  he  was  beatified  it  was  also  decreed  that  he  should 
be  represented  with  an  open  purse,  in  place  of  the  crosier;  but  the 
latter  is  not  always  omitted.  He  is  usually  surrounded  by  poor 
people,  kneeling.  The  finest  pictures  of  this  saint  are  Spanish.  One 
of  Murillo's,  of  great  beauty,  represents  him  as  a  child  dividing 
his  clothing  among  four  ragged  little  ones.  The  one  called  the 
"Charity  of  San  Tomas  de  Villa  Nueva,"  Murillo  called  "his  own 
picture,"  and  preferred  it  to  all  his  other  works.  In  this  the  saint 
stands  at  the  door  of  his  cathedral,  relieving  a  lame  beggar  kneeling 
before  him.     September  17,  a.  d.  1555. 

St.  Tibertius.     April  14.     See  St.  Cecilia. 

Tobias,  the  Son  of  Tobit.  The  pictures  of  the  Archangel 
Raphael  are  so  often  illustrative  of  his  journey  with  the  young  Tobias, 
that  the  story  of  their  companionship  rightly  belongs  here.  Xow 
Tobit  was  a  rich  man  and  just:  and  he  and  his  wife  Anna  were  car- 
ried away  into  captivity  by  the  Assyrians.  He  then  gave  alms  to  all 
his  brethren  that  he  could  help,  and  lived  a  just  life,  not  eating  the 
bread  of  the  Gentiles.  But  in  one  wa}''  and  another  his  misfortunes 
were  increased,  and  he  became  blind  ;  and  nothing  was  left  to  him 
but  his  wife  and  his  son  Tobias.  And  he  was  so  afflicted  that  he 
prayed  for  death.  At  this  same  time  there  dwelt  in  the  city  of 
Ecbataue  a  man  called  Raguel,  and  he  had  an  only  daughter,  Sara, 
who  had  had  seven  husbands,  and  they  were  all  killed  b^'  the  evil 
spirit  Asmodous,  as  soon  as  they  were  married  to  her.  Iler  maid 
reproached  her,  and  said  she  had  strangled  her  liusbauds.  Sara  was 
BO  wretched  at  this  that  she  too  prayed  for  death,  that  she  might 


300  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

he  at  peace.  So  God  sent  his  augel  Rjaphael,  that  he  might  take 
away  the  hliiiduess  of  Tohit  aud  the  reproach  of  this  unhappy  woman. 
Then  'J'obit  remembered  that  he  had  given  to  Gabael,  in  Media,  ten 
talents  in  trust,  and  he  determined  to  send  Tobias  to  ask  for  this 
money.  So  he  called  him,  and  gave  him  directions  concerning  it. 
Then  Tobias  said,  "  But  how  can  I  receive  the  money,  seeing  I  know 
him  not  ]  "  Then  Tobit  gave  him  the  handwriting,  and  commanded 
him  to  seek  for  a  guide  who  would  show  him  the  way.  So  Tobias 
sought  a  guide,  and  Raphael  offered  to  go  with  him;  and  it  happened 
that  Tobias  knew  not  that  his  guide  was  an  angel.  So  he  took  him  to 
his  father,  and  they  agreed  upon  the  wages  of  the  guide;  and  Tobit 
gave  directions  for  their  journey,  and  they  departed.  Anna  was  much 
grieved  to  part  from  her  son  Tobias.  At  evening  the  angel  and  Tobias 
came  to  the  river  Tigris,  and  lodged  thereabout;  and  when  the  latter 
went  to  wash  himself,  a  fish  leaped  out  at  him.  And  the  angel  told 
him  to  take  the  fish,  and  take  out  the  heart  and  the  liver  and  the  gall 
and  preserve  them  carefully.  This  Tobias  did,  and  they  roasted  the 
fish  and  ate  it.  Then  Tobias  asked  the  use  of  the  parts  they  had 
kept ;  and  the  angel  said  the  heart  and  the  liver  would  cure  any  one 
vexed  with  an  evil  spirit,  if  a  smoke  were  made  of  them  before  the 
person,  and  the  gall  would  take  away  blindness  from  one  who  had 
whiteness  in  the  eyes.  Now,  when  they  were  come  near  to  Rages,  the 
angel  said,  "  Brother,  to-day  we  shall  lodge  with  Raguel,  who  is  thy 
cousin  ;  he  also  hath  one  only  daughter  named  Sara ;  I  will  speak 
for  her  that  she  may  be  given  thee  for  a  wife."  And  he  added  that 
according  to  the  laws  she  belonged  to  Tobias,  and  as  she  was  fair  and 
■wise,  he  could  marry  her  on  their  return.  Then  Tobias  said  he  had 
"  heard  that  she  had  been  married  to  seven  husbands,  who  all  died 
in  the  bridal  chamber  ;  and  he  feared  that  he  too  should  die  and  thus 
bring  his  parents  to  their  grave  in  sorrow,  since  he  was  their  only 
son."  But  Raphael  assured  him  that  she  was  the  wife  intended  for 
him  by  the  Lord,  and  he  should  be  preserved  if  when  he  came  into 
the  marriage  chamber  he  should  make  a  smoke  with  the  heart  and 
livtM-  of  the  fish,  for  at  the  smell  of  it  tlie  devil  would  flee  away 
forever.  "Now,  when  Tobias  had  heard  these  things,  lie  loved  her, 
and  his  heart  was  effectually  joined  to  her."  So  when  tiie}'  were 
come  to  Kcbatano  they  met  Sara,  and  she  took  them  to  the  house  of 
Raguel  her  father;  and  when  they  made  themselves  known  unto  him, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  301 

he  rejoiced  to  see  them,  and  wept  to  hear  of  the  blindness  of  his 
cousin  Tobit;  and  Edna  his  wife  and  Sara  wept  also.  And  they  killed 
a  ram  of  the  flock,  and  prepared  a  supper ;  but  Tobias  said  unto 
Eaphael,  "  Speak  of  those  things  of  which  thou  didst  talk  in  the  way, 
and  let  this  business  be  despatched."  So  they  asked  Raguel  for  Sara, 
that  he  should  give  her  to  Tobias  as  his  wife.  Then  Raguel  answered 
and  told  of  the  fate  of  the  seven  husbands  she  had  had  already ;  but 
he  could  not  deny  the  request  of  Tobias,  for  by  the  law  of  Moses, 
Sara  belonged  to  him.  And  so  it  was  settled  before  they  did  eat  to- 
gether, and  Raguel  joined  their  hands  and  blessed  them.  Then  Edna 
prepared  the  marriage  chamber  and  brought  her  daughter  in  thither, 
and  Sara  wept;  but  her  mother  comforted  her  and  blessed  her.  Then 
■when  Tobias  went  in,  he  took  heed  to  make  the  smoke  with  the  heart 
and  liver  of  the  fish,  as  Raphael  had  directed ;  and  when  the  evil 
spirit  perceived  the  odor  thereof,  he  fled  away  to  return  no  more. 
Then  Tobias  and  Sara  knelt  down,  and  Tobias  prayed  as  Raphael  had 
commanded  him,  and  Sara  said  Amen.  And  in  the  morning  Raguel 
went  out  and  dug  a  grave ;  for  he  counted  Tobias  as  one  dead,  and 
he  desired  to  bury  him  quietly,  that  none  should  know  what  had  taken 
place.  And  he  sent  a  servant  to  see  if  he  were  dead ;  and  the  servant 
found  him  and  Sara  quietly  sleeping.  Then  did  Raguel  and  Edna 
rejoice,  and  they  prepared  to  keep  the  marriage  feast  of  their  daughter. 
And  this  feast  lasted  fourteen  days.  Meanwhile  the  angel  went  to 
Gabael,  and  received  from  him  the  money  that  Tobit  had  left  with 
him.  And  when  the  feast  w^as  ended,  Tobias  with  Sara  and  the  angel 
departed  to  go  to  his  father.  And  Raguel  and  Edna  blessed  them, 
and  gave  them  half  of  their  goods,  servants,  cattle,  and  money. 
Now,  as  they  approached  to  the  city  of  Nineveh,  the  angel  said  to 
Tobias,  "Let  us  haste  before  thy  wife  and  prepare  the  house,  and 
take  in  thine  hand  the  gall  of  the  fish."  So  they  went,  and  the  little 
dog  which  they  took  away  went  with  them,  Now  Anna  was  watch- 
ing for  them ;  and  when  she  saw  them  she  told  Tobit  that  they  were 
coming,  and  they  were  exceeding  glad  ;  for  they  had  both  been 
troubled  at  their  long  absence,  and  feared  lest  some  evil  had  over- 
taken them.  Then  said  Raphael  to  Tobias,  "  I  know  that  thy  father 
will  open  his  eyes ;  therefore  anoint  thou  his  eyes  with  the  gall,  and 
being  pricked  therewith,  he  shall  rub  and  the  whiteness  shall  fall 
away  and  he  shall  see  thee."     Then  Tobias  did  so,  and  it  was  as  the 


802  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

angel  said,  and  the  sight  of  Tobit  was  restored  to  him.  Then  they 
all  rejoiced  and  blessed  God,  and  Tobias  recounted  what  had  hap- 
pened to  him.  And  they  went  out  to  meet  Sara  and  the  servants 
and  all  that  he  had  brought  with  him.  And  the  people  wondered 
when  they  saw  that  Tobit  was  no  longer  blind.  And  they  brought 
in  Sara,  and  made  a  feast  which  they  kept  for  seven  days.  Then 
Tobit  said  to  his  son,  "See  that  the  man  have  his  wages  that  went 
forth  with  thee,  and  thou  must  give  him  more."  And  Tobias  an- 
swered, "  0  father !  it  is  no  harm  to  me  to  give  liim  half  of  those 
things  which  I  have  brought ;  for  he  hath  brought  me  again  to  thee 
in  safety,  and  made  whole  my  wife,  and  brought  me  the  money,  and 
likewise  healed  thee."  And  Tobit  said,  "  It  is  due  unto  him."  So 
they  called  Raphael,  and  made  known  unto  him  their  intentions. 
Then  told  he  them  to  praise  God,  and  glorify  him  for  all  this  good. 
And  he  told  Tobit  that  all  his  acts  and  his  goodness  had  been  known 
in  heaven,  and  his  weariness  of  life  and  his  desire  for  death  ;  and  also 
those  of  Sara,  who  had  so  great  troubles.  Then  he  said,  "  And  now 
God  hath  sent  me  to  heal  thee,  and  Sara  thy  daughter-in-law.  I  am 
Ra[)hael,  one  of  the  seven  holy  angels,  who  present  the  prayers  of 
the  saints,  and  who  go  in  and  out  before  the  glory  of  the  Holy  One." 
Then  were  they  both  troubled  and  fell  upon  their  faces  ;  for  they 
feared.  But  he  said  unto  them,  "  Fear  not,  for  it  shall  go  well 
with  you;  praise  God  therefore."  After  a  few  more  words  he  van- 
ished, and  when  they  arose  they  could  see  no  one.  From  this  time 
forth  all  did  go  well  with  Tobit  and  Anna  his  wife,  with  Raguel 
and  Edna  his  wife,  and  with  their  children.  And  while  they  lived 
they  never  ceased  to  praise  God  for  all  the  wonderful  things  he  had 
showed  them.  And  when  Tobit  and  Anna  were  dead,  Tobias  took  his 
wife  and  children  and  went  to  Ecbatane  to  Raguel,  his  father-in-law. 
AVhon  Ra<j;iR'l  died,  Tobias  inheiited  his  riches  and  abode  in  honor; 
and  lived  to  hear  of  the  destruction  of  Xincvch,  and  died  at  Ecbatane, 
beinix  an  hundred  and  seven  and  twentj^  years  old. 

St.  Torpd,  or  Torpet,  is  a  Pisan  saint.  According  to  the 
legend  he  was  a  Roman,  and  served  in  the  guards  of  Nero.  He  was 
converted  by  St.  Paul.  He  was  V)chcaded.  When  there  was  no  water 
in  the  Arno  and  all  were  suficring  for  want  of  rain,  the  head  of  the 
saint  was  carried  in  procession;  and  so  effectual  was  his  intercession 
that  the  rain  fell  in  floods  aud  swept  away  a  portion  of  the  procession, 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  303 

and,  mirabile  dictu,  the  head  of  the  saint  also  !  The  people  knew 
not  what  to  do,  when  two  angels  appeared,  dived  beneath  the  water, 
and  brought  again  the  head  of  the  saint  and  gave  it  to  the  archbishop. 
St.  Torp^  was  the  patron  of  Pisa  before  St.  Kanieri.  For  a  time  the 
latter  saint  was  the  more  popular,  but  St.  Torpe's  fame  revived  in 
the  seventeenth  century.  He  is  represented  as  a  Roman  soldier,  and 
bears  a  white  banner  with  a  red  cross. 

True  Cross,  History  of  the.  A  long  time  after  Adam  was 
driven  out  of  Paradise,  he  grew  so  weary  of  his  life  of  toil  and  hard- 
ship that  he  longed  for  death,  and  he  sent  his  son  Seth  to  the  angel 
who  guarded  the  Tree  of  Life  to  ask  him  to  send  him  the  oil  of  mercy 
which  God  had  promised  him  when  he  was  driven  out  of  Paradise. 
After  his  father  had  pointed  out  the  way,  Seth  went ;  and  when  he 
asked  the  angel  for  the  oil,  the  latter  replied,  "  The  oil  of  mercy  wliich 
God  promised  to  Adam  can  only  be  given  after  five  thousand  five 
hundred  years  shall  have  elapsed  ;  but  take  these  three  seeds,  they 
■will  bear  fruit  for  the  good  of  mankind."  Then  he  gave  him  three 
seeds,  believed  to  have  been  from  the  same  tree  of  which  Adam  had 
eaten.  And  the  angel  told  Seth  that  his  father  should  die  after  three 
days,  and  commanded  that  after  his  death  these  seeds  should  be  put 
under  his  tongue.  Then  Adam  was  joyous,  for  he  much  desired  to 
die.  And  on  the  third  day  he  died,  and  Seth  buried  him  in  the 
Valley  of  Hebron,  and  the  three  seeds  were  under  his  tongue.  These 
seeds  soon  sprung  up ;  and  the  three  saplings  thus  formed  united 
into  one,  thus  becoming  a  symbol  of  the  Trinity.  It  was  with  a 
part  of  this  tree  that  Moses  sweetened  the  waters  of  Marah  ;  and  with 
it  also  he  struck  the  rock  without  calling  on  God  ;  for  which  fault  he 
was  forbidden  to  enter  the  Promised  Land.  David  also  did  miracles 
•with  this  tree,  and  at  last  brought  it  to  Jerusalem,  and  placed  it  in 
his  garden,  and  built  a  wall  about  it.  When  Solomon  was  building 
the  Temple,  he  saw  that  this  tree  was  good  and  strong,  and  it  was 
cut  down  for  a  beam ;  but  the  workmen  could  never  make  it  fit  in 
any  place  :  sometimes  it  was  too  long,  and  again  too  short,  so  at  last 
it  was  given  up  and  thrown  aside.  After  some  years  a  woman, 
Sibylla,  sat  down  upon  it,  and  immediately  her  clothes  took  fire  ;  and 
she  prophesied  concerning  it,  that  it  would  be  for  the  destruction  of 
the  Jews.  Some  men  who  were  near  by  cast  it  into  a  pond,  and  it 
rose  to  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  formed  a  bridge  upon  which 


304  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

many  passed.  But  when  the  Queen  of  Sheba  came  to  visit  Solomon, 
as  she  ueared  this  bridge  she  hud  a  vision  of  its  future,  and  she 
would  not  step  upon  it,  but  knelt  down  and  venerated  it;  and  she 
took  off  her  sandals  and  walked  through  the  stream,  and  she  told 
Solomon  that  One  should  hang  on  that  tree  who  would  redeem  the 
human  race.  Then  Solomon  took  it,  and  cased  it  in  silver  and  gold, 
and  put  it  above  the  door  of  the  Temple,  that  all  who  came  in  might 
bless  it.  But  when  Abijah,  the  son  of  Rehoboam,  reigned,  he  desired 
the  gold  and  silver,  and  he  took  them  away  and  buried  the  wood  deep 
in  the  earth.  Now  after  a  time  a  well  was  dug  over  the  spot  where 
tlie  Tree  of  Mercy  was  buried,  and  its  waters  were  powerful  to  heal 
the  sick,  and  it  was  called  the  Pool  of  Bethesda.  As  the  time  for  the 
death  of  Jesus  drew  near,  this  beam  was  cast  up  to  the  surface  of  the 
waters,  and  the  Jews  took  it  and  made  from  it  The  Cross ;  and  so  the 
tree  which  had  grown  from  the  seeds  from  Paradise,  and  which  had 
been  nourished  l)y  the  decaying  body  of  Adam,  became  at  length  the 
tree  of  the  death  of  the  second  Adam.  Another  legend  relates  that 
the  Jews  believed  that  the  body  of  Jesus  would  hang  as  long  as  the 
cross  would  last,  and  that  it  was  made  of  four  different  kinds  of  wood, 
but  the  stem  was  of  cypress  wood,  because  this  would  not  decay  in 
earth  or  water.  After  the  cruciHxion  the  cross  was  buried  deep  in 
the  earth  and  there  remained  for  more  than  three  centuries,  until 
Constantine  and  his  mother,  the  Empress  Helena,  were  converted  to 
Christianity ;  and  the  latter  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem,  where 
she  was  seized  with  an  uncontrollable  desire  to  discover  the  Cross  of 
Christ.  Helena  therefore  commanded  that  all  the  wise  men  of  the 
Jews  should  come  to  her  palace.  They  were  alarmed,  and  questioned 
one  with  another  why  this  should  be.  But  there  was  one  named 
Judas,  who  said,  "  Know,  my  brethren,  that  the  empress  hath  come 
hither  to  discover  the  cross  on  which  Jesus  Christ  suffered.  Take 
heed  that  it  be  not  revealed  ;  for  in  the  hour  that  the  cross  comes  to 
light,  our  ancient  law  is  no  more,  and  the  traditions  of  our  people 
are  destroyed.  My  grandfather  Zaccheus  taught  this  to  my  father 
Simon,  and  my  fatlior  Sinum  hath  taught  it  to  me.  Moreover,  lie  told 
me  that  his  brother  Stephen  had  been  stoned  for  believing  in  liim  who 
was  crucifiod,  and  lie  bade  me  beware  of  blas])hcming  Christ  or  any  of 
his  disciples."  The  Jews  obeyed  the  injunction  of  Judas;  and  when 
the  empress  questioned  them  they  all  declared  that  they  knew  not 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  305 

where  the  cross  was  hidden.  So  Helena  commanded  that  they  should 
all  be  buried  alive.  Then  were  they  alarmed^  and  they  said,  "  Here 
is  a  just  man,  and  the  son  of  a  prophet,  who  knoweth  all  things  per- 
taining to  our  law,  and  who  will  answer  all  questions."  Then  she 
released  the  others,  but  Judas  she  retained.  And  when  she  ques- 
tioned him  he  exclaimed,  "  Alas  !  how  should  I  know  of  these  things 
which  happened  so  long  before  I  was  born"?"  Then  the  empress 
was  so  filled  with  wrath  that  she  declared  he  should  be  starved  to 
death,  and  for  that  purpose  he  was  cast  into  a  dry  well.  Here  he 
endured  hunger  and  thirst  for  six  days ;  but  on  the  seventh  day  he 
yielded,  and  led  the  empress  to  the  temple  of  Venus,  which  Hadrian 
had  built  above  the  place  where  the  cross  was  buried.  Then  Helena 
commanded  that  the  temple  should  be  destroyed.  After  that,  Judas 
began  to  dig,  and  when  he  had  dug  twenty  feet,  he  found  three 
crosses ;  but  they  were  all  alike,  and  no  one  knew  which  was  that 
of  Jesus.  As  Helena  and  Macarius,  the  Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  were 
consulting  as  to  what  should  now  be  done,  behold,  a  dead  man  was 
carried  past  to  his  burial.  Macarius  desired  that  the  corpse  should 
be  laid  on  the  crosses,  and  it  was  done.  Now,  when  he  was  put 
upon  the  first  and  the  second  he  stirred  not,  but  when  he  was  put 
upon  the  third  he  was  restored  to  life ;  and  the  demons  were  heard  to 
lament  in  the  air  above  because  Satan  was  overpowered  and  Christ 
reigned,  while  the  man  raised  from  the  dead  went  on  his  way  rejoicing. 
Then  was  Judas  baptized,  with  the  name  Syriacus,  or  Quiriacus.  But 
the  nails  of  the  cross  were  still  wanting;  and  when  Helena  prayed  for 
them,  they  appeared  on  the  surface  of  the  earth  shining  like  gold. 
Then  Helena  divided  the  cross,  and  left  a  part  at  Jerusalem,  and  a 
part  she  carried  to  Constantinople.  Constantino  kept  a  portion  of  it, 
which  was  inserted  into  a  statue  of  himself;  and  the  rest  was  carried 
to  Rome,  where  the  church  of  Santa  Croce  in  Gerusalemme  was 
built  to  receive  and  preserve  it.  One  of  the  nails  the  empress  placed 
in  the  crown  of  Constantino ;  another  she  made  into  a  bit  for  his 
horse ;  and  a  third  she  threw  into  a  whirlpool  in  the  Adriatic,  and 
immediately  the  sea  was  calm.  In  the  year  615,  Chosroes,  King 
of  Persia,  came  to  Jerusalem,  and  carried  away  the  portion  that  had 
been  left  there.  Then  the  Emperor  Heraclius  gathered  his  army 
together  and  defied  Chosroes  to  battle.  When  they  met,  the  king 
and  the  emperor  decided  to  settle  their  difficulties  by  single  combat. 

20 


306  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

Heraclius  overcame  Chosroes,  and  when  the  latter  refused  to  be  bap- 
tized, cut  oft'  his  head.  Then  the  emperor  returned  to  Jerusalem 
in  great  triumph,  bearing  the  cross  with  him ;  but  when  he  would, 
he  could  not  enter,  for  the  walls  were  all  closed  up  by  a  miracle. 
He  was  astonished  at  this,  and  an  angel  came  to  him  and  said, 
"  When  the  King  of  Heaven  and  Earth  entered  through  this  gate  to 
suffer  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  he  entered  not  with  regal  pomp, 
but  barefoot  and  mounted  on  an  ass."  Then  Heraclius  wept  that 
pride  should  have  so  blinded  him  ;  and  he  descended  to  the  earth, 
took  off'  his  crown,  and  also  his  shoes,  and  took  the  royal  robes  off 
even  to  his  shirt.  Then  he  put  the  cross  on  his  shoulder,  and  the 
wall  opened  that  he  might  pass  in.  Then  was  the  cross  exalted  on 
an  altar  and  displayed  to  the  people.  There  is  scarcely  a  point  in 
this  legend  which  has  not  been  the  subject  of  art.  It  is  also  related 
in  the  legends  that  The  2'itle  of  accusation  was  found  and  sent  to 
Rome  by  St.  Helena;  that  it  was  placed  on  an  arch  in  the  church 
of  Santa  Croce,  and  was  there  found  in  a  leaden  box,  in  14:92.  The 
inscriptions  in  the  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin  were  in  red  letters, 
while  the  wood  on  which  they  were  painted  was  white.  Since  then 
it  has  faded,  and  the  words  "  Jesus  "  and  '*  Judseorum  "  are  eaten  away. 
The  board  is  now  only  nine  inches  long,  but  was  originally  about 
twelve.  The  Sponge  which  was  used  for  the  vinegar,  to  wash  the 
wounds  of  ('hrist,^  as  was  the  custom  in  crucifixions,  is  preserved 
with  great  veneration  at  the  church  of  St.  John  Lateran  at  Rome. 
The  Lance  which  pierced  his  side  is  also  at  Rome,  but  the  point  is  at 
Sainte  Cliapellc  in  Paris.  According  to  various  authorities,  the  lance 
was  buried  with  the  cross.  St.  Gregory  of  Tours  and  Venerable  Bede 
agree  that  in  their  day  this  lance  was  at  Jerusalem.  In  order  to 
guard  it  from  the  Saracens,  it  was  buried  at  Antioch ;  and  there  it 
was  found  in  1098,  when  by  use  of  it  were  wrought  many  wonderful 
miracles.  It  was  then  carried  to  Jerusalem,  and  thence  to  Constan- 
tinople. Baldwin  II.  sent  the  point  of  it  to  Venice  in  order  to  raise 
money  for  his  necessities.  St.  Louis  of  France  obtained  it  by  paying 
the  sum  lialdwin  had  received.     The  rest  of  the  lance  remained  at 

1  "  Afterward s,  Jcsns  .  .  .  said,  I  thirst.  Now  there  was  a  vessel  set  there 
full  of  vine^^nr  ;  and  tliey  i»nt  n  sponrje  lull  of  vinegar  about  hyssop,  and  put  it  to 
his  nioith.  AVhen  Jesus  tin  refure  had  taken  the  vinegar,  he  said,  It  is  cousum* 
mated."  —  St.  John  xix.  28-30. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  307 

Constantinople  after  it  was  taken  by  the  Turks  until  1492,  when 
the  Sultan  Bajazet  enclosed  it  in  a  beautiful  case,  and  sent  an  ambassa- 
dor with  it  to  Rome  to  present  it  to  Pope  Innocent  VIII. 

The  Crown  of  Thorns  was  given  to  St.  Louis  by  Baldwin,  for  mo- 
tives of  gratitude  and  friendship,  and  also  because  Constantinople  was 
no  longer  a  safe  place  for  it.  St.  Louis,  with  his  mother-in-law,  his 
brother,  and  many  priests  and  members  of  his  court,  met  the  ambas- 
sadors who  carried  it  to  him  five  leagues  from  Sens.  St.  Louis  and 
his  brother  Robert  of  Artois  were  barefoot  and  in  their  shirts  ;  thus 
they  bore  the  crown  of  thorns  to  Sens  and  to  the  cathedral  of  St. 
Stephen,  where  it  was  received  with  great  ceremony.  It  was  taken 
to  Paris  with  equal  honor,  and  St.  Louis  built  for  its  reception  the 
Sainte  Chapelle,  to  which  was  attached  a  rich  foundation  for  a  chapter 
of  canons.  St.  Louis  also  received  the  portion  of  the  cross  which  was 
at  Constantinople,  and  other  relics  which  St.  Helena  had  given  her 
son.  Some  of  the  thorns  from  this  crown  have  been  given  to  other 
churches,  and  they  have  been  imitated  many  times.  They  are  very 
long. 

The  Nails  of  the  cross  have  already  been  spoken  of.  These  have 
been  multiplied  by  imitation,  and  many  made  in  this  way  and  touched 
to  the  true  nails,  are  considered  holy. 

The  F'lllar  to  which  Christ  was  bound  to  be  scourged,  or  a  portion 
of  it,  is  preserved  at  Jerusalem.  The  inscription  above  it  says  that 
it  was  placed  there  in  1223  by  Cardinal  Columna. 

The  Blood  of  Christ.  The  Rev.  Alban  Butler  says  that  this  relic, 
"  which  is  kept  in  some  places,  of  which  the  most  famous  is  that  of 
Mantua,  seems  to  be  what  has  sometimes  issued  from  the  miraculous 
bleeding  of  some  crucifix  when  pierced  in  derision  by  Jews  or  Pagans, 
instances  of  which  are  recorded  in  authentic  histories."  Represen- 
tations of  all  these  different  relics,  of  circumstances  connected  with 
their  discovery,  of  the  ceremonies  which  have  taken  place  on  their 
account,  and  of  the  miracles  performed  through  them,  are  very 
numerous  in  works  of  art. 

St.  Umilita,  or  Humility,  was  the  wife  of  Ugolotto  Cacciane- 
mici  of  Faenza.  She  was  the  foundress  of  the  Vallombrosan  nuns. 
She  had  desired  to  remain  a  virgin,  but  was  compelled  to  marry  on 
account  of  the  avaricious  interests  of  her  family.  Her  husband  was 
also  virtuous  and  pious.     Not  long  after  their  marriage,  Rosane  (for 


308  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

this  was  her  name)  thus  addressed  her  husband :  "  Dost  thou  not  feel 
that  we  can  Hnd  no  real  permanent  happiness  here  on  earth,  and 
should  we  not  aspire  to  that  peace  and  bliss  which  we  can  attain  iu 
heaven  ]  Let  us  therefore  sejiarate  for  a  while,  and  in  the  silence  of 
some  cloister  make  a  sacrifice  of  ourselves  to  God,  for  our  countr}', 
our  kindred,  and  for  all  those  whom  we  love.  Time  fleets  by  with 
lightning  speed,  and  we  shall  soon  be  reunited  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  where  we  shall  enjoy  all  that  felicity  which  has  been  denied 
us  here  below."  Ugolotto  consented,  and  they  both  lived  strict  lives 
according  to  the  Yallombrosan  rule.  This  legend  has  been  illustrated 
iu  a  series  of  eleven  pictures  by  Bufalmacco.  One  of  them  repre- 
sents Rosane  persuading  her  husband  to  the  separation.  Her  face 
is  alight  with  the  inspiration  of  the  project  of  self-sacrifice  she  has 
conceived,  while  that  of  Ugolotto  is  sad  at  the  thought  of  parting 
with  her. 

St.  Ursula,  and  her  Virgin  Companions  {Lat.  Sancta  Ursula; 
Fr.  Ste.  Ursule ;  Ital.  Santa  Irsola).  This  legend,  which  from  its 
very  improbability  and  surpassing  strangeness  is  so  fascinating,  can 
be  traced  to  the  year  600.  All  the  discussions  as  to  its  significa- 
tion have  not  (happily)  changed  the  legend,  and  the  Cologne  ver- 
sion is  the  one  followed  by  most  painters  who  have  attempted  to 
depict  its  wonderful  incidents.  The  manner  in  which  this  legend  is 
told  is  so  charming  in  its  quaintness  of  thought  and  expression  that 
even  when  I  consider  the  brevity  that  is  here  desirable,  I  cannot  find 
it  in  my  heart  to  do  otherwise  than  give  it  verbatim  et  literatim. 
"Once  on  a  time  there  reigned  in  Brittany  a  certain  king  whose  name 
was  Theonotus,  and  he  was  married  to  a  Sicilian  princess  whose  name 
was  Daria.  Both  were  Christians,  and  they  were  blessed  with  one 
daughter,  whom  they  called  Ursula,  and  whom  they  educated  with 
exceeding  care.  When  Ursula  was  about  fifteen,  her  mother,  Queen 
Daria,  died,  leaving  the  king  almost  inconsolable  ;  but  Ursula,  though 
so  young,  supplied  the  place  of  her  mother  in  the  court.  She  was 
not  only  wonderfully  beautiful,  and  gifted  with  all  the  external  graces 
of  her  sex,  but  accomplished  in  all  the  learning  of  the  time.  Her 
mind  was  a  perfect  storehouse  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  :  she  had 
read  about  the  stars,  and  the  courses  of  the  winds  ;  all  that  had 
ever  ha|)pened  iu  the  world  from  the  days  of  Adam  she  had  by 
heart;   the  poets  and  the  philosophers  were  to  her  what  childish 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  309 

recreations  are  to  others ;  but  above  all,  she  was  profoundly  versed 
in  theology  and  school  divinity,  so  that  the  doctors  were  astonished 
and  confounded  by  her  argumentative  powers.  To  these  accomplish- 
ments were  added  the  more  excellent  gifts  of  humility,  piety,  and 
charity,  so  that  she  was  esteemed  the  most  accomplished  princess  of 
the  time.  Her  father,  who  loved  her  as  the  light  of  his  eyes,  de- 
sired nothing  better  than  to  keep  her  always  at  his  side.  But  the 
ftxme  of  her  beauty,  her  virtue,  and  her  wondrous  learning  was 
spread  through  all  the  neighboring  lands,  so  that  many  of  the 
neighboring  princes  desired  her  in  marriage ;  but  Ursula  refused 
every  offer.  Not  far  from  Brittany,  on  the  other  side  of  the  great 
ocean,  was  a  country  called  England,  vast  and  powerful,  but  the  peo- 
ple were  still  in  the  darkness  of  paganism ;  and  the  king  of  this 
country  had  an  only  son,  whose  name  was  Conon,  as  celebrated  for 
his  beauty  of  person,  his  warlike  prowess,  and  physical  strength,  as 
Ursula  for  her  piety,  her  graces,  and  her  learning.  He  was  now  old 
enough  to  seek  a  wife ;  and  his  father,  King  Agrippinus,  hearing  of 
the  great  beauty  and  virtue  of  Ursula,  sent  ambassadors  to  demand 
her  in  marriage  for  his  son.  When  the  ambassadors  arrived  at  the 
palace  of  the  King  of  Brittany,  they  were  very  courteously  received, 
but  the  king  was  secretly  much  embarrassed,  for  he  knew  that  his 
daughter  had  made  a  vow  of  perpetual  chastity,  having  dedicated 
herself  to  Christ ;  at  the  same  time  he  feared  to  offend  the  powerful 
monarch  of  England  by  refusing  his  request ;  therefore  he  delayed 
to  give  an  answer,  and  having  commanded  the  ambassadors  to  be 
sumptuously  lodged  and  entertained,  he  retired  to  his  chamber,  and 
leaning  his  head  on  his  hand,  he  meditated  what  was  best  to  be 
done ;  but  he  could  think  of  no  help  to  deliver  him  from  this  strait. 
While  thus  he  sat  apart  in  doubt  and  sadness,  the  princess  entered, 
and  learning  the  cause  of  his  melancholy,  she  said  with  a  smile, 
'  Is  this  all  1  Be  of  good  cheer,  my  king  and  father !  for  if  it 
please  you,  I  will  myself  answer  these  ambassadors.'  And  her 
father  replied,  '  As  thou  wilt,  my  daughter.'  So  the  next  day, 
when  the  ambassadors  were  again  introduced,  St.  Ursula  was  seated 
on  a  throne  by  her  father's  side,  and  having  received  and  returned 
their  salutations  with  unspeakable  grace  and  dignity,  she  thus  ad- 
dressed tliem  :  'I  thank  my  Lord  the  King  of  England,  and  Conon, 
his  princely  son,  and  his  noble  barons,  and  you,  sirs,  his  honorable 


310  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

ambassadors,  for  the  honor  ye  have  done  me,  so  much  greater  than 
mv  deserving.  I  hold  myself  bound  to  your  king  as  to  a  second 
father,  aud  to  the  jjrince  his  son  as  to  my  brother  and  bridegroom, 
ft»r  to  no  other  will  I  ever  listen.  But  I  have  to  ask  three  things. 
First,  he  shall  give  for  me  as  my  ladies  and  companions  ten  virgins 
of  the  noblest  blood  in  his  kingdom,  and  to  each  of  these  a  thou- 
sand attendants,  and  to  me  also  a  thousand  maidens  to  wait  on  me. 
Secondly,  he  shall  permit  me  for  the  space  of  three  years  to  honor 
my  virginity,  and  with  my  companions  to  visit  the  holy  shrines 
where  repose  the  bodies  of  the  saints.  And  my  third  demand  is 
that  the  prince  and  his  court  shall  receive  baptism  ;  for  other  than  a 
perfect  Christian  I  cannot  wed.'  Now  you  shall  understand  that 
this  wise  princess,  Ursula,  made  these  conditions,  thinking  in  her 
heart,  'either  the  King  of  England  will  refuse  these  demands,  or,  if 
he  grant  them,  then  eleven  thousand  virgins  are  redeemed  and  dedi- 
cated to  the  service  of  God.'  The  ambassadors,  being  dismissed 
with  honor,  returned  to  their  own  country,  where  they  made  such  a 
report  of  the  unequalled  beauty  and  wisdom  of  the  princess  that 
the  king  thought  no  conditions  too  hard,  and  the  prince  his  son  was 
inflamed  by  desire  to  obtain  her;  so  he  commanded  himself  to  be 
forthwith  baptized  ;  and  the  king  wrote  letters  to  all  his  vassals  in 
his  kingdom  of  France,  in  Scotland,  and  in  the  province  of  Corn- 
wall, to  all  his  princes,  dukes,  counts,  barons,  and  noble  knights, 
desiring  that  they  should  send  him  the  required  number  of  maidens, 
spotless  and  beautiful,  and  of  noble  birth,  to  wait  on  the  Princess 
Ursula,  who  was  to  wed  his  heir  the  Prince  Conon ;  and  from  all 
parts  these  noble  virgins  came  trooping,  fair  and  accomplished  in  all 
female  learning,  and  attired  in  rich  garments,  wearing  jewels  of  gold 
and  silver.  Being  assembled  in  Brittany,  in  the  capital  of  King 
Theonotus,  Ursula  received  them  not  only  with  great  gladness  and 
courtesy,  but  with  a  sisterly  tenderness  and  with  thanksgiving, 
praising  (Jod  that  so  many  of  her  own  sex  had  been  redeemed  from 
the  world's  vanities;  and  the  fume  of  this  noble  assembly  of  virgins 
having  gone  forth  to  all  the  countries  round  about,  the  barons  and 
knights  were  gathered  together  from  east  and  west  to  view  this 
spectacle,  and  you  may  think  how  much  they  were  amazed  and  edi- 
fied by  the  sight  of  so  much  beauty  and  so  much  devotion.  Now, 
when  Ursula  had  collected  all  her  virgins  together,  on  a  fresh  and 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  811 

fair  morning  in  the  spring-time,  she  desired  them  to  meet  in  a 
meadow  near  the  city,  wliich  meadow  was  of  freshest  green,  all  over 
enamelled  with  the  brightest  flowers ;  and  she  ascended  a  throne 
which  was  raised  in  the  midst,  and  spake  to  all  the  assembled 
virgins  of  things  concerning  the  glory  of  God,  and  of  his  Son,  our 
Lord  and  Saviour,  with  wonderful  eloquence ;  and  of  Christian 
charity,  and  of  a  pure  and  holy  life  dedicated  to  heaven.  And  all 
these  virgins,  being  moved  with  a  holy  zeal,  wept,  and,  lifting  up 
their  hands  and  their  voices,  promised  to  follow  her  whithersoever 
she  should  lead.  And  she  blessed  them  and  comforted  them  ;  and 
as  there  were  many  among  them  who  had  never  received  baptism, 
she  ordered  that  they  should  be  baptized  in  the  clear  stream  which 
flowed  through  that  flowery  meadow.  Then  Ursula  called  for  a  pen, 
and  wrote  a  letter  to  her  bridegroom,  the  son  of  the  Kino"  of  Emr- 
land,  saying,  that  as  he  had  complied  with  all  her  wishes  and  fulfilled 
all  her  demands,  he  had  good  leave  to  wait  upon  her  forthwith.  So 
he,  as  became  a  true  knight,  came  immediately ;  and  she  received 
him  with  great  honor ;  and  in  presence  of  her  father,  slie  said  to 
him,  'Sir,  my  gracious  prince  and  consort,  it  has  been  revealed  to 
me  in  a  vision  that  I  must  depart  hence  on  my  pilgrimage  to  visit 
the  shrines  in  the  holy  city  of  Rome,  with  these  my  companions ; 
thou  meanwhile  shalt  remain  here  to  comfort  my  father  and  assist 
him  in  his  government  till  my  return  ;  or,  if  God  should  dispose  of 
me  otherwise,  this  kingdom  shall  be  yours  by  right.'  Some  say 
that  the  prince  remained,  but  others  relate  that  he  accompanied  her 
on  her  voyage ;  however  this  may  be,  the  glorious  virgin  embarked 
with  all  her  maidens  on  board  a  fleet  of  ships  prepared  for  them, 
and  many  holy  prelates  accompanied  them.  There  were  no  sailors 
on  board,  and  it  was  a  wonder  to  see  with  what  skill  these  wise  vir- 
gins steered  the  vessels  and  managed  the  sails,  being  miraculously 
taught;  we  must  therefore  suppose  that  it  was  by  no  mistake  of 
theirs,  but  by  the  providence  of  God,  that  they  sailed  to  the  north 
instead  of  the  south,  and  were  driven  by  the  winds  into  the  mouth 
of  the  Rhine  as  far  as  the  port  of  Cologne.  Here  they  reposed  for 
a  brief  time,  during  which  it  was  revealed  to  St.  Ursula  that  on  her 
return  she  and  her  companions  should  on  that  spot  suffer  martyrdom 
for  the  cause  of  God ;  all  which  she  made  known  to  her  companions; 
and  they  all  together  lifted  up  their  voices  in  hymns  of  thanksgiving 


312  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

that  they  should  be  found  worthy  so  to  die.  So  they  proceeded  on 
their  voyage  up  the  river  till  they  came  to  the  city  of  Basil ;  there 
they  disembarked,  and  crossed  over  the  high  mountains  into  the 
plains  of  Liguria.  Over  the  rocks  and  snows  of  the  Alps  they  were 
miraculously  conducted ;  for  six  angels  went  before  them  perpetually, 
clearing  the  road  from  all  impediments,  throwing  bridges  over  the 
mountain  torrents,  and  every  night  pitching  tents  for  their  shelter 
and  refreshment.  So  they  came  at  length  to  the  river  Tiber,  and 
descending  the  river  they  reached  Eome,  that  famous  city  wherein  is 
the  holy  shrine  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul.  In  those  days  was  Cyria- 
cus  Bishop  of  Rome  ;  he  was  famous  for  his  sanctity ;  and  hearing  of 
the  arrival  of  St.  Ursula  and  all  her  fair  and  glorious  company  of 
maidens,  he  was,  as  you  may  suppose,  greatly  amazed  and  troubled 
in  mind,  not  knowing  what  it  might  portend.  So  he  went  out  to 
meet  them,  with  all  his  clergy  in  procession.  When  St.  Ursula, 
kneeling  down  before  him,  explained  to  him  the  cause  of  her  coming, 
and  implored  his  blessing  for  herself  and  her  companions,  who  can 
express  his  admiration  and  contentment  !  He  not  only  gave  them 
his  blessing,  but  commanded  that  they  should  be  honorably  lodged 
and  entertained ;  and  to  preserve  their  maidenly  honor  and  decorum, 
tents  were  pitched  for  them  outside  the  walls  of  the  city,  on  the 
plain  towards  Tivoli.  Now  it  happened  that  the  valiant  son  of  King 
Agrippinus,  who  had  been  left  in  Brittany,  became  every  day  more 
and  more  impatient  to  learn  some  tidings  of  his  princess-bride;  and 
at  length  he  resolved  to  set  out  in  search  of  her,  and  by  a  mir- 
acle, he  arrived  in  the  city  of  Rome  on  the  self-same  day,  but  by  a 
different  route.  Being  happily  reunited,  he  knelt  with  Ursula  at  the 
feet  of  Cyriacus,  and  received  baptism  at  his  hands,  changing  his 
name  from  Conon  to  that  of  Ethereus,  to  express  the  purity  and 
'  regeneration  of  his  soul.  He  no  longer  aspired  to  the  possession  of 
Ursula,  but  fixed  his  hope  on  sharing  with  her  the  crown  of  martyr- 
dom on  earth,  looking  to  a  perpetual  reunion  in  heaven,  where  neither 
sorrow  nor  separation  should  touch  them  more.  After  this  blessed 
company  had  duly  performed  their  devotions  at  the  shrine  of  St. 
Peter  and  St.  Paul,  the  good  Cyriacus  would  fain  have  detained 
them  longer ;  but  Ursula  showed  him  that  it  was  necessary  they 
should  de])art,  in  order  to  receive  the  crown  *  already  laid  up  for  them 
in   heaven.*     When  the  bishop  heard  this,  he  resolved  to  accompany 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  313 

her.  In  vain  his  clergy  represented  that  it  did  not  become  the 
pope  of  Rome,  and  a  man  of  venerable  years,  to  follow  a  company 
of  maidens,  however  immacidate  they  might  be.  Cyriacus  had  been 
counselled  by  an  angel  of  God,  and  he  made  ready  to  set  forth  and 
embark  with  them  on  the  river  Rhine.  Now  it  happened  that  there 
■were  at  Rome  in  those  days  two  great  Roman  captains,  cruel  hea- 
thens, who  commanded  all  the  imperial  troops  in  Germania.  They, 
being  astonished  at  the  sight  of  this  multitude  of  virgins,  said  one 
to  the  other,  '  Shall  we  suffer  this  1  If  we  allow  these  Christian 
maidens  to  return  to  Germania,  they  will  convert  the  whole  nation ; 
or  if  they  marry  husbands,  then  they  will  have  so  many  children,  — 
no  doubt,  all  Christians,  —  that  our  empire  will  cease  ;  therefore  let 
lis  take  counsel  what  is  best  to  be  done.'  So  these  wicked  pagans 
consulted  together,  and  wrote  letters  to  a  certain  barbarian  king  of 
the  Huns,  who  was  then  besieging  Cologne,  and  instructed  him  what 
he  should  do.  Meantime  St.  Ursula  and  her  virgins,  with  her  hus- 
band and  his  faithful  knights,  prepared  to  embark ;  with  them  went 
Pope  Cyriacus,  and  in  his  train  Vincenzio  and  Giacomo,  cardinals ; 
and  Solfino,  Archbishop  of  Ravenna;  and  Folatino,  Bishop  of  Lucca; 
and  the  Bishop  of  Faenza,  and  the  patriarch  of  Grado,  and  many 
other  prelates ;  and  after  a  long  and  perilous  journey  they  arrived  in 
the  port  of  Cologne.  They  found  the  city  besieged  by  a  great  army 
of  barbarians  encamped  on  a  plain  outside  the  gates.  These  pagans, 
seeing  a  number  of  vessels  filled,  not  with  fierce  warriors,  but  beau- 
tiful virgins,  unarmed  youths,  and  venerable  bearded  men,  stood  still 
at  first,  staring  with  amazement ;  but  after  a  short  pause,  remem- 
bering their  instructions,  they  rushed  upon  the  unresisting  victims. 
One  of  the  first  who  perished  was  Prince  Ethereus,  who  fell,  pierced 
through  by  an  arrow,  at  the  feet  of  his  beloved  princess.  Then 
Cyriacus,  the  cardinals,  and  several  barons  sank  to  the  earth  or 
perished  in  the  stream.  When  the  men  were  despatched,  the  fierce 
barbarians  rushed  upon  the  virgins  just  as  a  pack  of  gaunt  hungry 
wolves  might  fall  on  a  flock  of  milk-white  lambs.  Finding  that  the 
noble  virgins  resisted  their  brutality,  their  rage  w\as  excited,  and 
they  drew  their  swords  and  massacred  them  all.  Then  was  it  wor- 
thy of  all  admiration  to  behold  these  illustrious  virgins,  who  had 
struggled  to  defend  their  virtue,  now  meekly  resigned,  and  ready  as 
sheep  for  the  slaughter,  embracing  and  encouraging  each  other  !     Oh, 


314  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

then,  had  you  seen  the  glorious  St.  Ursula,  worthy  to  he  the  captain 
and  leader  of  this  army  of  virgin  martyrs,  how  she  flew  from  one  to 
the  other,  heartening  them  with  brave  words  to  die  for  their  faith 
and  honor !  Inspired  by  her  voice,  her  aspect,  they  did  not  quail, 
but  offered  themselves  to  death  ;  and  thus  by  hundreds  and  by  thou- 
sands they  perished,  and  the  plain  was  strewed  with  their  limbs  and 
ran  in  rivers  with  their  blood.  But  the  barbarians,  awed  by  the  ma- 
jestic beauty  of  St.  Ursula,  had  no  power  to  strike  her,  but  carried 
her  before  their  prince,  who,  looking  on  her  with  admiration,  said  to 
her,  '  Weep  not ;  for  though  thou  hast  lost  thy  companions,  I  will  be 
thy  husband,  and  thou  shalt  be  the  greatest  queen  in  all  Germany.* 
To  which  St.  Ursula,  all  glowing  with  indignation  and  a  holy  scorn, 
replied,  *  0  thou  cruel  man  !  blind  and  senseless  as  thou  art  cruel ! 
thinkest  thou  I  can  weep]  Or  dost  thou  hold  me  so  base,  so  cowardly, 
that  I  would  consent  to  survive  my  dear  companions  and  sisters'? 
Thou  art  deceived,  0  son  of  Satan !  for  I  defy  thee,  and  him 
whom  thou  servest ! '  When  the  proud  pagan  heard  these  words, 
he  was  seized  with  fury,  and  bending  his  bow  which  he  held  in  his 
hand,  he  with  three  arrows  transfixed  her  pure  breast  so  that  she 
fell  dead,  and  her  spirit  ascended  into  heaven,  with  all  the  glorious 
sisterhood  of  martyrs  whom  she  had  led  to  death,  and  with  her 
betrothed  husband  and  his  companions;  and  there,  with  palms  in 
their  hands  and  crowns  upon  their  heads,  they  stand  around  the 
throne  of  Christ,  and  live  in  his  light  and  in  his  approving  smile, 
blessing  him  and  praising  him  forever,  Amen  ! "  It  has  been  very 
troublesome  for  the  artists  who  have  represented  this  legend  to  de- 
vise any  means  by  which  they  could  represent  the  idea  of  the  eleven 
thousand  virgins  ;  and  in  spite  of  all  their  ingenuit}^  several  thousands 
still  remain  to  whom  justice  has  never  been  done.  The  attributes 
of  St.  Ursula  are  the  crown  of  the  princess ;  the  staff  of  the  pilgrim  ; 
the  arrow,  as  a  martyr ;  the  white  banner  with  the  red  cross,  as 
the  victorious  Christian ;  and  the  dove,  because  a  dove  disclosed 
her  burial-place  to  St.  Cunibert.  She  is  frequently  represented  as 
spreading  out  her  broad  mantle,  underneath  which  many  virgins 
cluster.  There  are  many  series  of  paintings  giving  tlie  scenes  of  her 
life.  Patroness  of  all  young  maidens  ;  especially  of  school-girls  and 
of  such  women  as  instruct  the  young  of  their  own  sex.^     October  21. 

^  Of  the  Ursuline  nuns,  especially. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  315 

St.  Valerian.     See  St.  Cecilia. 

St.  Valerie.     See  St.  Martial. 

Vera  Icon,  The.     See  St.  Veronica. 

St.  Vei'diana  is  seen  in  Florentine  pictures.  She  is  in  the  habit 
of  a  Vallombrosan  nun,  and  bears  a  basliet  from  which  serpents  feed. 
A.  D.  1222. 

St.  Veronica  {Ital.  Santa  Veronica ;  Fr.  Ste.  Veronique).  There 
are  two  quite  different  legends  concerning  this  saint.  The  most  an- 
cient relates  that  she  was  the  woman  who  was  healed  by  touching 
Christ's  garment,  and  that  she  greatly  desired  a  picture  of  his  face. 
She  first  took  a  cloth  to  St.  Luke,  and  he  painted  a  picture  that  both 
he  and  Veronica  thought  to  be  like  Christ ;  but  when  next  she  saw 
him,  she  found  his  face  quite  different.  Then  the  Saviour  said  to 
her,  "  Unless  I  come  to  your  help,  all  Luke's  art  is  in  vain,  for  my 
face  is  known  only  to  Him  who  sent  me."  Then  he  told  her  to  go 
to  her  house  and  prepare  him  a  meal,  and  before  the  day  ended  he 
would  come  to  her.  Veronica  did  this  joyfully,  and  when  Christ 
came  he  first  desired  water  to  wash.  Veronica  gave  him  this,  with  a 
cloth  whereon  to  wipe.  He  pressed  the  cloth  to  his  face,  and  his 
image  remained  on  it.  He  then  gave  it  to  Veronica,  saying,  "This  is 
like  nie,  and  will  do  great  things."  About  this  time  the  Emperor  of 
Rome  was  ill  of  a  dreadful  disease.  Some  say  the  emperor  was  Ves- 
pasian, and  others  Tiberius ;  that  he  had  worms  in  his  head,  or  a 
wasp's  nest  in  his  nose.  It  Vas  a  fearful  sight.  Now  he  hears  that  a 
great  physician  performs  wonderful  cures  in  Judsea.  So  he  sends  his 
messengers  to  Jerusalem,  and  finds  that  Jesus,  the  physician,  had  been 
slain  three  years  before.  Then  Pilate  is  filled  with  alarm,  and  accuses 
the  Jews  of  the  deed,  while  they,  in  turn,  make  him  responsible  for  it. 
Then  the  messenger  inquires  for  the  followers  of  Jesus,  and  at  last 
Veronica  is  brought  to  him.  He  then  desires  to  see  the  portrait. 
At  first  she  denies  havinir  it,  but  at  len<rth  acknowledges  that  she 
treasures  it  with  great  care,  and  brings  it  to  him.  The  messenger 
desires  to  take  it  to  Rome,  but  she  will  not  consent  unless  she  goes 
also.  They  therefni-e  depart,  and  arrive  after  a  very  short  and  pros- 
perous voya.L^'e.  When  all  is  explained  to  him  of  the  death  of  Jesus, 
the  miracle  of  the  ])icture,  and  its  inherent  virtue,  the  emperor  regards 
it,  believing,  and  is  healed.  Pilate,  who  has  been  brought  to  Rome, 
is  then  cast  into  prison ;  he  kills  himself  and  his  body  is  thrown  into 


316  LEGENDS  AND   STORIES 

tlje  Tiber,  where  demons  attack  it.     Then  the  emperor  determines 
to  avenge  the  death  of  Christ  upon  Jerusalem.     He  besieges  the  city, 
and  so  many  Jews  are  slain  that  they  cannot  be  buried.     Captives 
are  crucified ;  the  thieves  who  divided  the  garments  of  Jesus  are  cut 
in  quarters,  and   many  are   sold  for  thirty  pence  each.     Now  this 
cloth,  which  is  the  subject  of  this  legend,  is  the  "  Volto  Santo,"  or 
"  God's  image,"  and  these  words  were  used  as  an  imprecation  in  the 
Middle  Ages.     Vera  Icon,  another  name  for  it,  signifies  "  The  Sacred 
Picture,"  and  is  the  same  as  the  name  of  the  saint ;  and  in  fact,  the 
picture  is  sometimes  called  "  a  Veronica."     It  is  well  to  coaipare  this 
legend  with  that  of  King  Abgarus,  as  they  probably  came  from  tlie 
same  source,   and  are  very  likely  different  versions  of  one  legend. 
The  later   legend  of  St.   Veronica  does  not  make   her  the  healed 
woman,  but  merely  a  woman  of  Jerusalem  whose  house  Chri^>t  passed 
when  bearing  his  cross.    Seeing  his  sufferings,  she  pitied. him,  and  gave 
him  her  veil  to  wipe  his  brow.     When  he  returned  it  to  her,  it  was 
impressed  with  the  sacred  image.     This  legend  is  recognized  by  the 
Catholic  Church.    The  house  of  St.  Veronica  is  shown  at  Jerusalem  on 
the  Via  Dolorosa.     This  latter  legend  also  takes  Veronica  to  Rome, 
but  the  emperor  has  died  befoi-e  her  arrival,  and  she  remains  with  St. 
Peter  and  St.  Paul,  and  at  last  suffers  martyrdom  under  Nero.     Still 
another  version  makes  her  go  to  Europe  with  Lazarus  and  his  sisters, 
and  suffer  death  in  Provence  or  Aquitaine.     The  image  is  the  Vera 
Icon,   or  the  true  image,   and  the  cloth  is  the  Sudarium   {Ital.  II 
Sudario ;   Fr.  Le  Saint  Suaire).     A  chapel  in  St.  Peter's  at  Rome  is 
dedicated  to  this  saint;  and  therein  is  the  face  of  Christ  impressed  on 
a  linen  cloth,  the  veritable  Vera  Icon.    St.  Veronica  is  unmistakable  in 
art,  as  she  is  represented  holding  the  napkin.    The  festival  of  St.  Vero- 
nica {Fr.  La  Sainte  Face  de  Jesus  Clu'ist)  is  hold  on  Shrove  Tuesday. 
St.  Victor   of  Marseilles  [Ital.  San  Vittore)   was  a  soldier 
under  Diocletian,  and  suilered  martyrdom  in  the  tenth  persecution. 
He   endured  terrible    tortures  with   wonderful    strength    and    devo- 
tion.    In  tlie  midst  of  them  a  miniature  altar  was  brought  him  on 
wliich  to  sacrifice  to  Jupiter  and  thus  save  himself,  but  he  daslicd 
down   the   image  and   destroyed   it.     lie  was  tlien   cruslied   witii  a 
millstone,   and   afterwards  beheaded.      When   he   died,  angels  were 
heard  to  sing,  "  Vicisti,  Victor  beate,  vicisti  !  "     He  is  represented 
as  a  Roman  soldier  with  a  millstone  near  him.     July  21,  a.  d.  303. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  317 

St.  Victor  of  Milan  {Ital.  San  Vittore)  was  another  Roman 
soldier  who  suffered  also  in  the  tenth  persecution.  He  was  a  native 
of  Mauritania,  but  suffered  at  Milan,  where  there  is  a  church  dedi- 
cated to  him.  He  is  the  ftxvorite  military  saint  of  northern  Italy. 
It  is  said  that  he  was  thrown  into  a  heated  oveU;  and  an  oven  with 
flames  bursting  out  is  sometimes  near  him  in  pictures  ;  but  he  is  more 
frequently  represented  as  the  Victorious,  sometimes  on  horseback,  and 
always  in  the  dress  of  a  soldier.     May  8,  a.  d.  303. 

St.  Vincent,  Deacon    and   Martyr  {Lat.  S.  Vincentius  Levita ; 
Ital.  San  Vincenzio  Diacono,  San  Yincenzino  ;  Fr.  St.  Vincent).     The 
principal    facts   concerning   this    saint    are    so    established    by  good 
authorities  that  they  cannot  be  denied ;  but   imagination    has    had 
great  license  in  the  legend,  as  it  is  illustrated  by  those  who  paint ; 
whether  it  be  with  brush  or  pen,  artist  or  poet.     It   is  as  follows  : 
Vincent  was  born  in  Saragossa.     At   the  time  of  the  terrible  perse- 
cution under  Diocletian  he  was  about  twenty  years  old,  and  already 
a  deacon.     The  proconsul  Dacian  caused  all  the  Christians  of  Sara- 
gossa to  be  brought  together,  with  a  promise  of  immunity,  and  then 
ordered  them  all  to  be  massacred.     St.  Vincent  did  all  in  his  power 
to  encourage  and  sustain  the  people  of  God,  and  at  length  was  him- 
self arrested   and  brought  before  the  tribunal.     With  him  was  his 
bishop,  Valerius.     When  they  were  accused,  Valerius  answered  first ; 
but  he  had  an  impediment  in  his  speech,  and  was  moreover  old  and 
feeble,  so  that  his  answers  were  almost  unintelligible;  then  Vincent 
exclaimed,  "  How  is  this,  my  father  1  canst  thou  not  speak  aloud,  and 
defy  this  pagan  dog  1     Speak,  that  all  the  world  may  hear ;  or  sufier 
me,  who  am  only  thy  servant,  to  speak  in  thy  stead  ! "     When  the 
bishop  therefore  gave  him  leave,  he  proclaimed  his  fiiith  aloud,  and 
defied  all  tortures  and  sufferings.     Then   was  Dacian  very  wroth, 
and  he  commanded  that  the  young  man  should  be  reserved  to  the 
tortures,  but  the  old  man  sentenced  only  to  banishment  from  the 
city.     The  most  fearful  tortures  were  invented  for  Vincent,  to  which 
he  submitted  with  miraculous  strength.     Prudentius  says,  in  his  cele- 
brated hymn  to  St.  Lawrence,  "  When  his  body  was  lacerated  by  iron 
forks,  he  only  smiled  on  his   tormentors ;  the  pangs  they  inflicted 
were  to  him  delights;  thorns  were  his  roses,  the  flames  a  refreshing 
bath ;  death  itself  was  but  the  entrance  to  life."     After  his  terrible 
sufl:erings  they  laid  him  on  the  floor  of  his  dungeon  strewed  with 


818  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

potsherds  ;  but  angels  came  and  ministered  to  him,  and  when  his 
jailers  looked  in  they  beheld  the  place  filled  with  celestial  light,  and 
a  sweet  perfume  came  out  from  it;  they  heard  the  songs  of  angels, 
in  which  Vincent  joined  with  thanksgiving;  and  he  called  to  the 
jailers  to  come  in  and  partake  of  his  bliss.  Then  these  fell  on  their 
knees  and  were  converted.  After  this,  Dacian,  being  convinced  that 
tortures  could  not  conquer  his  spirit,  resolved  to  try  the  seductions 
of  luxury.  He  had  the  saint  placed  on  a  bed  strewn  with  roses; 
his  friends  were  admitted,  and  everything  was  done  to  ease  his  pain. 
But  no  sooner  came  these  seductions  than  he  died,  and  angels  bore 
his  soul  to  glory.  Then  the  furious  Dacian  ordered  his  body  to  be 
thrown  to  the  wild  beasts ;  but  God  sent  a  raven  to  guard  it,  and 
it  remained  untouched  for  many  days.  Then  the  consul  commanded 
that  it  should  be  sewed  up  in  an  ox-hide,  as  was  done  to  the 
bodies  of  parricides,  and  thrown  into  the  sea.  So  it  was  thus  pre- 
pared, and  carried  out  in  a  boat,  and  thrown  over  with  a  mill- 
stone attached  to  it ;  but  lo,  when  the  boatmen  readied  the  shore, 
it  was  returned  before  them,  and  lay  upon  the  sands!  Then  they 
ran  away  terrified  ;  and  the  waves  hollowed  out  a  grave  and  buried 
it.  Here  it  remained  for  many  years,  until  at  last  it  was  miracu- 
lously revealed  to  certain  Christians  of  Valencia,  and  they  removed 
these  holy  remains  to  their  own  city.  When  the  Christians  of  Valen- 
cia fled  from  tlie  jNIoors,  they  bore  with  them  these  blessed  relics. 
The  vessel  in  which  they  were  was  driven  upon  a  promontory  on  the 
coast  of  Portugal,  where  they  stopped,  and  interred  the  body ;  and 
that  point  has  been  called  Cape  St.  Vincent  from  that  day.  Here, 
too,  the  ravens  guarded  the  remains ;  and  a  portion  of  the  cape  is 
called  in  remembrance  of  them,  "el  Monte  de  las  Cuervas."  When 
in  the  year  1147  Alonzo  I.  removed  the  remains  to  Lisbon,  two 
crows  accompanied  the  vessel,  one  at  the  prow  and  one  at  tlie 
stern  ;  these  crows  multiplied  greatly  in  Lisbon,  until  rents  were 
assigned  to  'the  chapter  for  their  support.  Vincent  has  been  sur- 
namcd  tlie  Invincible^  both  on  account  of  his  character  and  the 
signiHcation  of  his  name.  St.  Vincent  is  represented  as  young 
and  beautiful,  in  a  deacon's  dress,  and  his  proper  attribute  is 
a  crow  or  raven.  Patron  of  Lisbon,  Valencia,  and  Saragossa  ;  (^f 
Milan ;  of  Chalons,  and  many  other  places  in  France.  January  22, 
A.  D.  304. 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  319 

St.  Vincent  Ferraris  was  born  at  Valencia  in  1357.  His 
parents  denied  themselves  greatly  in  order  to  educate  him  and  his 
brother  Boniface.  iHe  was  a  Dominican,  and  took  the  habit  v»hcn 
only  eighteen.  He  became  one  of  the  most  celebrated  preachers  and 
missionaries.  He  went  all  through  Spain,  Italy,  and  France,  and  by 
invitation  of  Henry  IV.  to  England.  He  so  moved  the  hearts  of  his 
hearers  that  he  was  often  obliged  to  pause  that  the  sobbing  and  weep- 
ing might  subside.  He  did  many  miracles  ;  and  it  is  related  that 
"when  he  preached  in  Latin  he  was  understood  by  all  who  heard  him, 
of  whatever  nation,  learned  or  unlearned.  He  spent  the  last  two 
years  of  his  life  in  Brittany  and  Normandy,  and  died  at  Vannes. 
Jeanne  de  France,  Duchess  of  Brittany,  washed  his  body  and  pre- 
pared it  for  the  grave  with  her  own  hands.  His  proper  attribute  is 
the  crucifix,  which  he  holds  aloft  in  reference  to  his  labors  as  mis- 
sionary. He  sometimes  has  wings  as  symbols  of  his  fervor,  but 
with  the  Dominican  habit  they  have  a  strange  effect.  April  5, 
A.  D.  1419. 

St.  Vincent  de  Paul  is  loved  and  venerated  not  only  in  his 
native  France  and  by  Catholics  everywhere,  but  also  by  the  major- 
ity of  non-Catholics.  He  was  born  in  1576,  at  Puy,  in  Gascony. 
iHis  father  was  a  farmer,  and  Vincent  tended  the  flocks.  But  his 
temper  was  so  sweet,  and  his  mind  so  active,  that  his  father 
desired  an  education  for  him ;  so  he  was  sent  to  a  convent  of 
Cordeliers,  Franciscan  Fathers,  at  Acqs.  After  he  was  well  ad- 
vanced in  his  studies,  he  accepted  the  place  of  a  tutor,  that  he 
might  continue  his  studies  without  being  burdensome  to  his  poor 
parents.  He  finally  attained  to  the  priesthood  in  IGOO.  He  went  to 
iMarseilles,  on  business,  and  when  returning  by  sea,  was  seized  by 
African  pirates  and  carried  into  slavery.  He  remained  thus  two 
years,  and  had  several  masters.  The  wife  of  the  last  one  pitied 
him,  and  when  she  spoke  to  him  was  charmed  by  his  conversation. 
One  day  she  asked  him  to  sing,  and  he,  bursting  into  'tears,  sang, 
"  By  the  waters  of  Babylon  we  sat  down  and  wept,"  and  then  the 
glorious  **  Salve  Regina."  This  woman  was' converted,  and  in  her 
turn  instructed  her  husband,  who  also  received  the  truth.  Then 
they  all  escaped,  and  came  to  Aignesmortes.  Vincent  placed  his 
companions  in  a  religious  house,  and  went  himself  to  Rome,  whence 
he  was  sent  by  the  pope  to  Paris.     This  was  in  1609.     He  had  been 


320  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

greatly  moved  at  the  sight  of  the  sufferings  of  the  galley  slaves.  He 
had  been  in  captivity.  He  was  not  able  to  do  much  for  them,  but 
he  preached  to  them  and  comforted  them  as  much  as  possible.  He 
then  turned  his  attention  to  the  Magdaleues  of  Paris,  and  founded 
the  hospital  of  "  La  Madaleine.'*  He  also  founded  the  Congrega- 
tion of  the  Sisters  of  Charity,  and  established  a  foundling  hospital. 
This  is  no  place  wherein  to  speak  of  all  the  good  he  thus  did ;  and 
indeed,  who  can  tell  it  1  He  was  a  friend  of  Richelieu  until  his  death. 
He  was  called  to  the  side  of  Louis  XIII.  in  his  last  moments.  Dur- 
ing the  wars  of  the  Fronde  he  ministered  to  the  sufferers,  and 
greatly  desired  to  do  something  for  the  Catholics  of  L'eland,  who 
were  suffering  cruel  oppression.  In  short,  he  has  been  named  by 
general  consent,  "  L'Intendant  de  la  Providence  et  P^re  des  Pauvres.'* 
He  died  at  St.  Lazare.  He  is  represented  in  the  clerical  cassock, 
with  a  new-born  infant  in  his  arms,  and  a  Sister  of  Charity  kneeling 
before  him.     July  19,  a.  d.  1660. 

St.  Vitalis  of  Ravenna  was  the  father  of  St.  Gervasius  and 
St.  Protasius.  He  was  condemned  to  be  buried  alive  for  having  taken 
up  and  cared  for  the  body  of  a  Christian  martyr.  He  was  a  soldier 
in  the  army  of  Nero,  and  had  been  converted  by  the  preaching  of 
St.  Peter.  His  wife,  Valeria,  fled  with  her  two  sons  to  Milan.  The 
church  dedicated  to  him,  and  erected  over  tlie  spot  where  he  was 
buried,  is  a  remarkable  monument  of  Byzantine  architecture.  The 
fame  of  this  saint  extended  all  over  Europe.  He  is  represented  as  a 
soldier  with  the  martyr's  crown,  and  sometimes  on  a  white  charger, 
with  the  standard  of  victory.     April  28,  about  62. 

St.  Vitus  (Ital  San  Vito ;  Fr.  St.  Vite  or  St.  Guy ;  Ger.  Der 
Heilige  Yeit,  Vit,  or  Vitus)  was  the  son  of  a  noble  Sicilian,  who 
was  a  pagan  ;  but  the  r^rse  and  foster-father  of  Vitus  were  secretly 
Christians,  and  they  brought  him  up  in  the  faith,  and  had  him  bap- 
tized. When  only  twelve  years  old,  he  declared  himself  a  Christian, 
which  so  enraged  his  father  and  the  governor  that  they  attempted  to 
compel  him  to  retract.  They  shut  him  in  a  dungeon  after  beating 
him  ;  but  wlien  his  father  looked  through  the  key-hole,  he  saw  him 
dancing  witli  seven  beautiful  angels,  and  so  dazzling  was  the  sight 
that  the  fatlier  was  made  blind,  and  was  restored  to  sight  only  through 
the  intercession  of  his  son.  After  this,  he  once  more  persecuted 
Vitus,  wlio  fled  with  his  nurse  and  her  husband  in  a  boat,  which  was 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART,  321 

steered  by  an  angel,  to  Italy.  But  here  they  were  again  accused  as 
Christians,  and  were  thrown  into  a  caldron  of  boiling  oil.  He  is  repre- 
sented as  a  beautiful  boy.  He  has  many  attributes :  the  palm ;  the 
caldron  of  oil ;  a  lion,  because  he  was  once  exposed  to  lions ;  a  wolf, 
because  his  remains  were  guarded  by  one ;  and  a  cock,  the  reason  of 
which  is  not  known,  but  on  accouut  of  which  he  is  invoked  against 
drowsiness.  He  is  one  of  the  fourteen  Noth-helfers,  or  patron  saints 
of  Germany.  He  is  patron  saint  of  dancers  and  actors  ;  and  is 
invoked  against  the  nervous  disease,  St.  Vitus'  dance.  Patron  of 
Saxony,  Bohemia,  and  Sicily.     June  15,  a.  d.  303. 

St.  Walburga,  whose  Anglo-Saxon  name  is  the  same  as  the 
Greek  Eucharis,  and  signifies  "gracious,"  is  also  called  Walpurgis, 
Walbourg,  Valpurge,  Gualbourg,  and  Avangour.  When  her  uncle, 
St.  Boniface,  and  her  brother,  St.  Willibald,  determined  to  take  a 
company  of  religious  women  from  England  to  the  continent  to  assist 
in  teaching  the  pagans,  Walburga  left  the  convent  of  Winburn, 
where  she  had  lived  twenty-seven  years,  and  went  with  ten  other 
nuns  to  Mayence.  She  was  afterwards  made  first  abbess  of  the  con- 
vent of  Heidenheim.  After  the  death  of  Willibald,  on  account  of 
her  learning  and  talents  she  was  called  to  Eichstadt,  and  governed 
the  two  communities  there,  —  the  monks  as  well  as  the  nuns.  She 
wrote  a  history  of  her  brother  in  Latin.  She  had  studied  medicine, 
and  did  some  wonderful  cures.  After  her  death  she  was  entombed 
in  a  rock  near  Eichstadt,  from  which  exuded  a  wonderful  oil.  This 
was  thought  to  proceed  from  the  remains  of  the  saint ;  and  it  was 
called  Walpurgis  oil,  and  many  remarkable  cures  were  effected 
through  its  use.  The  cat-e  became  a  place  of  pilgrimage,  and  a 
church  was  built  on  the  spot.  On  the  night  of  her  festival,  Walpur- 
gis' night,  the  witches  were  said  to  hold  their  orgies  at  Blocksberg. 
The  saint's  chief  festival  is  on  the  1st  of  May.  She  is  represented 
in  the  Benedictine  habit  with  a  crosier,  and  a  flask  ;  the  latter  a 
symbol  of  the  Walpurgis  oil.     May  1,  about  778. 

Wandering  Jew,  The.  This  legend  is  given  in  several  dif- 
ferent ways.  According  to  Matthew  Paris,  an  Armenian  archbishop 
came  to  England  to  visit  its  shrines,  and  was  entertained  at  the 
monastery  of  St.  Albans.  He  was  questioned  in  regard  to  his  own 
country  and  his  travels,  and  was  asked  if  he  had  ever  known  any- 
thing of  a  miraculous  person  who  was  present  at  the  crucifixion  of 

21 


322  LEGENDS  AND  STORIES 

Christ,  and  who  still  lived.  The  archbishop  testified  that  it  was  true 
that  such  a  ruan  lived,  and  that  he  knew  him  well.  He  said  he  had 
been  the  porter  of  Pontius  Pilate,  and  was  named  Cartaphilus.  When 
the  Jews  were  dragging  Jesus  from  the  judgment  hall,  Cartaphilus 
struck  him  with  his  fist,  saying,  "Go  faster,  Jesus,  go  faster!  why 
dost  thou  linger  ] "  Then  Jesus  turned  and  said,  "I  indeed  am  going, 
but  thou  shalt  tarry  till  I  come."  Afterwards  the  porter  was  con- 
verted, and  baptized  by  the  name  of  Joseph,  At  the  end  of  every 
century  he  foils  ill,  and  is  incurable ;  at  length  he  goes  into  an  ecstasy, 
and  when  he  comes  out  of  it,  he  is  the  same  age  that  he  was  when 
Christ  died,  which  was  about  thirty  years.  He  is  a  grave  and  holy 
man.  He  remembers  all  the  circumstances  of  the  crucifixion,  the 
resurrection,  and  ascension  ;  of  the  composing  of  the  Apostles'  Creed, 
and  the  separation  of  the  Apostles  when  they  went  forth  to  preach. 

Another  legend  gives  his  name  as  Ahasuerus,  and  relates  that  as 
Jesus  was  bearing  his  cross,  he  stopped  before  his  door  to  rest,  and 
Ahasuerus  drove  him  away  with  curses.  Then  Jesus  told  him  that 
he  should  wander  until  he  came  to  judgment ;  and  ever  since  he 
wanders,  bowed  down  with  grief  and  remorse,  and  unable  to  find  a 
grave. 

St.  Wenceslaus  of  Bohemia.     See  St.  Ludmilla. 

St.  Werburga  figures  among  the  early  Benedictine  saints  in 
England.  She  was  abbess  of  Repandum,  and  had  jurisdiction  over 
monks  as  well  as  nuns.  She  was  the  niece  of  St.  Ethelreda,  and  was 
brought  up  with  her  at  Ely.  She  founded  several  monasteries,  and 
had  the  care  of  them,  besides  that  of  Repton,  —  Weedon,  Trentham, 
and  Hanbury.  The  cathedral  of  Chester  was  dedicated  to  her  in 
800,  and  a  part  of  her  shrine  now  supports  a  pew  erected  for  the 
An,L;lican  bisliop  of  the  diocese.      About  708. 

St.  William  of  Aquitaine.     See  St.  Benedict  of  Anian. 

St.  Zeno  of  Verona  was  bishop  of  that  city  in  the  fourth 
century,  and  was  remarkable  for  the  wisdom  with  which  he  governed 
his  diocese  during  those  troublous  times.  He  is  i-epresented  in  one 
pictiu'e  holding  a  long  fishing-rod,  and  the  legend  of  Verona  says 
he  was  fond  of  fishing  in  the  Adige  ;  but  it  is  quite  probable  tliat  tlie 
fish  wiiicli  hangs  from  the  lino  is  symbolical  of  baptism.  It  is  doubt- 
ful whether  he  was  martyred,  although  he  is  said  to  have  been,  by 
Julian  the  Apostate.     It  is  related  that   King  Pepin  desired  to  bo 


ILLUSTRATED  IN  ART.  323 

buried  in  the  same  grave  with  St.  Zeno,  so  great  was  his  esteem  for 
him.     April  12,  a.  d.  380. 

St.  Zenobio  of  Florence  was  the  son  of  noble  parents,  Lucian 
and  Sophia,  but  they  were  pagans.  He  was  born  in  the  last  year  of 
the  reign  of  Coustantine.  He  was  converted  while  at  school,  and 
succeeded  in  converting  his  parents.  He  lived  in  Rome,  and  was 
a  deacon,  and  the  secretary  of  Pope  Damasus  I.  He  was  sent  to 
Florence  in  a  time  of  great  distraction,  but  both  Catholics  and  Arians 
desired  to  have  him  for  their  bishop.  He  restored  to  life  a  man  who 
had  fallen  down  a  mountain  precipice,  when  on  the  way  to  bring 
some  sacred  relics  to  him,  sent  by  St.  Ambrose.  A  lady  on  her  way 
to  Rome  stopped  at  Florence,  to  see  this  good  man  of  whom  she  had 
heard  much,  and  she  left  her  son  in  his  care  until  she  should  return. 
The  day  before  her  return  the  child  died ;  but  when  she  took  it  and 
laid  it  at  the  feet  of  St.  Zenobio,  he  restored  it  to  life.  He  led  a 
most  holy  life,  and  died  in  the  reign  of  Honorius.  When  he  was 
being  borne  to  his  grave,  the  people  so  pressed  about  his  bier  that 
in  the  Piazza  del  Duomo  his  body  was  thrown  against  the  trunk  of 
an  elm  that  was  withered.  It  immediately  put  forth  buds  and  leaves. 
He  is  represented  in  his  episcopal  robes;  his  attribute  is  frequently 
a  tree  which  is  putting  forth  leaves.     May  25,  a.  d.  417. 


INDEX. 


AAROX,  19. 
Abbondio,  St.,  37. 
Abdelraman,  152. 
Abelard,  66. 

Abgarus,  King,  11,  37,  39,  316. 
Abiathar,  Priest,  167. 
Abijah.  304. 
Abishag,  19. 

Abraham,  15,  16,  227,  232. 
Academy  of  Painters,  223. 
Achaia,  50. 
Achilleus,  St.,  39. 
Achmet,  241. 
Acquapendente,  269,  297. 
Acqs,  319. 
Acre,  46. 

"Acts  of  Paul  and  Thecla,"  291. 
Adam,  266. 
Adam  and  Eve,  16. 
Adam  and  the  Tree  of  Mercy,  303. 
Adam,  Symbol  of,  12. 
Adelaide*  St.,  39,  40. 
Adelbert,  St.,  189,  287. 
Adoration  of  the  Magi,  169,  196,  279. 
Adoration  of  the  Shepherds,  196. 
Adrian,  Castle  of,  190. 
Adrian,  Emperor,  111. 
Adrian,  St.,  7,  40,  41,  141. 
Adriatic,  the,  305. 
JE'^ss  in  Cilicia,  90. 
JEgean  Sea,  240. 
-^geus,  50. 
Emilia,  49. 
^sculapius,  90. 
^tna,  Mt.  43. 

Afra,  St.,  of  Augsburg,  41,  95,  110,  111. 
Afra,  St.,  of  Brescia,  42. 
Agabus,  168. 
Aganum,  129,  230. 
Agar,  16. 


Agatha,  St.,  7,  42,  43,  44,  187. 

Agen,  in  Aquitaine,  111. 

Aglae,  Roman  lady,  47. 

Aglae,  St.,  44. 

Aglaides,  92. 

Agnes  of  Austria,  183. 

Agnes  of  Montepulciano,  St.,  45. 

Agnes,  St.,  4,  44. 

Agnus  Dei,  21. 

Agostino,  Sant',  Church  of,  30,  31. 

Agricolaus  of  Sebaste,  69. 

Agrippa,  151,  281. 

Agrippinus,  309. 

Ahasuerus,  322. 

Aidan,  St.,  91,  247. 

Aiguesmortes,  319. 

Aix,  219. 

Aix-la-Chapelle,  65. 

Aix-la-Chapelle,  Council  of,  61. 

Albano,  Cardinal  of,  70. 

Albano,  Painter,  96. 

Albanopolis,  60. 

Alban,  St.,  46. 

Al ban's,  St.,  in  Hertfordshire,  46. 

Albert,  St.,  28,  46. 

Albertus  Magnus,  47. 

Albigenses,  the,  96,  257. 

Albizeschi.  Family  of,  67. 

Alcala,  95,  298. 

Aldrovanski,  145. 

Alexander  Severus,  222. 

Alexander,  Son  of  Felicitas,  112. 

Alexander  the  Martj'r,  St.,  40,  47. 

Alexander  VIII.,  185. 

Alexandria,  Bishop  of,  56. 

Alexandria,  City  of,  51,  56,  58,  85,  93,  190, 

217,  223,  238. 
Alexandria,  Clement  of,  159. 
Alexandria,  St.  Catherine  of,  76. 
Alexis,  St.,  47,  48. 


326 


INDEX. 


Alfonso,  St.,  147. 

Allied  the  Great,  101,  132,  236,  248,  290. 

Alice,  mother  of  St.  Beniio,  66. 

Alice  of  Germany,  St.,  39. 

All>t<m,  Washington,  284. 

Almachius,  Prefect,  78. 

Alonzo  I.,  318. 

Aloysius,  St.,  34,  185. 

Alpaidn,  179. 

Alphege,  St.,  48,  107. 

Alphonso,  Don,  151. 

Alphonso,  King  of  Leon,  113. 

Ali^ace,  Duke  of,  248. 

Alva,  Duchess  of,  290. 

Alvare,  243. 

Alveida,  Plain  of,  152. 

Alverna,  Mount,  120. 

Alviano  in  Tuscany,  215. 

Amalaberga,  St.,  137. 

Amand  of  Belgium,  St.,  61. 

Amboise,  Cattle  of,  121. 

Ambrogio  Maggiore,  Sant',  Milan,  131. 

Ambrose,  St.,  48,  49,  57,  71, 130,  236,  254, 

323. 
Amethyst,  Sj'mbolism  of,  9. 
Amiens,  179,  264. 
Anachronisms,  34. 
Anacletus,  66. 

Ananias,  Servant  to  King  Abgarus,  37. 
Anargyres,  90. 
Anastasia,  St.,  49. 
Anchor,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Andernach,  89. 

Andrea  del  Sarto,  30,  164,  260. 
Andrea  of  Corsini,  50. 
Andrea  Orcaqua,  33. 
Andrea  Riccio,  32. 
Andrew,  St.,  25,  50,  133. 
Andrew,  St ,  Cross  of,  3,  50. 
Angel  of  .Judgment,  182. 
Angelico  da  Fiesole,  33. 
Angel ico,  Fra,  33,  55. 
Angelo,  Michael,  30.  ( 

Angelo,  St.,  242. 
Angelo,  St.,  Castle  of,  243. 
Angels,  Symbols  of,  14. 
Angelus,  St.,  28,  51. 
Anghiari,  Battle  of,  50. 
Angiolo,  Sunt',  Church  of,  115. 
Angles,  the  West,  109. 
Anian,  the,  05. 

Anianus,  or  Annianus.  St.,  51,  217. 
Anna,  St.,  51,  156,  191,199. 
Anne  of  Austria,  145. 


Annunciation,  the,  5,  6,  12, 124,  192,  274, 

279,  283. 
Annunziata,  the,  260. 
Ansano  of  Siena,  St.,  51. 
Ansric,  England,  58. 
Anlemius,  59. 

Anthony  of  Padua,  St.,  27,  28,  32,  54. 
Anthony,  St.,  30,  51. 
Anthony,  St.,  Cross  of,  3. 
Anthony,  St.,  Order  of,  60. 
Antioch",  55.  59,  92,  146,  162,  205,  214,292. 

306. 
Antonio-di-Padova,  Church,  32. 
Antonio,  St.,  54. 
Antony,  St.,  133,  137. 
Antwerp,  34,  245. 
Anvil,  Symbolism  of,  7. 
Aoust,  Archdeacon  of,  67. 
Apocalypse,  Woman  of  the,  210. 
Apocalyptic  Lamb,  4,  322. 
Apollina,  49. 

Apollinare  in  Classe,  Sant',  271. 
Apollinaris-in-Classe,  Basilica  of,  55. 
Apollinaris  of  Ravenna,  St.,  55. 
Apollo,  129. 
Apollo,  Temple  of,  64. 
Apollonia  of  Alexandria,  St.,  7,  55. 
Apollonius,  138. 
ApoUonius,  St.,  111. 
Apostles'  Creed,  the,  24. 
Apostles,  the  Twelve,  4,  24,  31,  204. 
Apparition  of  Christ  to  the  Virgin,  208. 
Appian  Way,  255. 
Apple,  19. 

Apples,  Symbols,  98. 
Apulia,  141. 
Aqua  Salvias,  251. 
Aquila,  House  of,  263. 
Aquihi  in  Abruzzi,  68. 
A(|uitaine,  111. 
Acjuitaine,  Duke  of,  65. 
Ara  Cdli,  190,  195,  222,  289. 
Aragon,  180,  187. 
Aragon,  King  of,  106,  226. 
Arba,  the  River,  51. 
Archangels,  15,  124. 
Archangel  Gabriel,  5. 
Archangel  Raphael,  299. 
Archilochus,  49. 
Ardennes,  Forest  of,  143. 
Ardents,  St.  (ienc^vidvc  des.  126. 
Area  di  San  Domenico,  Bologna,  33. 
Arezzo,  07,  142,  272. 
Arezzo,  Cathedral  of,  98. 


INDEX. 


327 


Argyropolis,  41. 

Arians,  the,  60,  125,  258,  268. 

Aristodemus,  159. 

Arius,  56. 

Armenia,  60. 

Armor,  16. 

Arno,  302. 

Arnold  de  Brescia,  66. 

Aroas,  123. 

Arphaxad,  King,  173. 

Arrow,  Symbolism  of,  7. 

Arrows,  82. 

Artemius,  256. 

Artesius,  Count,  130. 

Arthur,  King,  132. 

Arthusia,  162. 

Artists  of  Spain  (Stirling),  273. 

Artois,  Robert  of,  307. 

Arviragus,  King,  132. 

Ascension,  the,  22,  203,  274,  279. 

Ash  Color,  29. 

Asmodeus,  299. 

Asperges,  or  Rod,  54. 

Ass,  Symbol,  195. 

Assisi,  54,  121. 

Assisi,  Church  at,  32. 

Assisi,  Clara  of,  85. 

Assumption,  the,  2,  8,  29,  204,  207, 274, 279 . 

Assyrians,  173. 

Asterius,  110. 

Asti,  279. 

Athanasius,  St.  (Bishop),  53,  56. 

Athens,  60,  85,  95,  136,  177. 

Attila,  King  of  the  Huns,  125,  126. 

Aubert,  St.,  233. 

Audrey,  St.,  109. 

Augsburg,  City  of,  41. 

Augustine  of  Canterbury,  St.,  57. 

Augustine  Order,  87,  298. 

Augustine,  St.,  1,  27,   30,  56,  63,  72,  96, 

166,  235,  245,  250,  252,  254,  281,  290. 
Augustines,  the,  30,  33. 
Augustus,  Emperor,  281. 
Aurelian,  39,  46,  264. 
Aureole,  Symbolism  of  the,  2. 
Austria,  166,  264. 
Autun,  89. 

Avalon,  Island  of,  132. 
Ave  Maria,  Gratia  Plena,  125. 
Ave  Marias,  96,  193,  274. 
Aventine,  the  (Rome),  44,  243,  263. 
Avignon,  St.  Catherine  at,  76. 
Avlia,  289. 
Avila,  St.  John  of,  171. 


Avranches,  233. 

Awl  and  Shoemaker's  Knife,  91. 

Axe,  Symbolism  of,  7. 

Aza  du  Plessis,  149. 


BABYLON,  288, 
Babylonians,  the,  61i 
Baccio  della  Porta,  33. 
Bagnarea,  Tuscany,  69. 
Bajazet,  Sultan,  307. 
Balaam,  196,  232. 
Balbina,  St.,  58. 
Baldwin  II.,  186,  306,  307. 
Bamberg  in  Germany,  Monastery  of,  29, 

142. 
Bamborough  Castle,  247. 
Bangor,  58. 

Banner,  Symbolism  of,  7. 
Barachiel  the  Helper,  15. 
Barbara,  St.,  7,  36,  58. 
Barbarossa,  Emperor,  197. 
Barberini,  Cardinal,  222. 
Barcelona,  110,  267. 
Bardney,  248. 
"Barefoot    Carmelites,"    "Scalzi,"    and 

"  Padvi  Teresiani,"  290. 
Bari,  241. 

Barking,  in  Essex,  108. 
Barmherzigen  Briider,  170. 
B.irnabas,  St.,  59. 
Bartholomew,  St.,  25,  60,  137. 
Bartolomeo,  244. 
Bartolommeo,  Fra,  3-3. 
Basileo,  San,  Church  of,  244. 
Basilians,  Order  of,  60. 
Basilica  of  San  Paolo-fuori-le-mura,  29. 
Basilica  of  Sant'  Ambrogio  Maggiore,  49. 
Basilissa,  177. 
Basil,  St.,  Order  of,  93. 
Basil  the  Great,  St.,  60,  136,  231,  243. 
Basket  with  Roses,  98. 
Basle,  132. 
Bassi,  Paolo  di,  116. 
Bathsheba,  19. 
Baths  of  Caracalla,  79. 
Bavaria,  70,  248. 
Bavon  of  Ghent,  St.,  29,  61,  184. 
Beasts,  the  Four,  21. 
Beato,  II,  55. 
Beatrix  de  Cepeda,  289. 
Bede,  143. 

Bede  the  Venerable,  St.,  61,  306. 
Beehive,  Symbol,  67. 


828 


INDEX. 


Bees,  St.,  143. 

Bega,  143. 

Beggars,  28. 

Bel  and  the  Dragon,  61. 

Belcastro,  297. 

Belem,  Monastery  of,  34,  155. 

Belgium,  364. 

Belgrade,  Siege  of,  162. 

Bell,  54. 

Bellerophon,  129. 

Bell,  Symbolism  of,  7. 

Benibo,  Cardinal,  33. 

Benedetto  da  Maiano,  32. 

Benedict,  Bennet  Biscop,  or  St.  Bennet  of 

Wearniouth,  65. 
Benedictine  Habit,  58. 
Benedictine  Order,  57,  63,  64,  88,  231. 
Benedictines,  the,  28,  274. 
Benedict  of  Anian,  St.,  29,  65. 
Benedict,  St.,  28,  29,  63,  67,  94,  109,  115, 

154, 164,  230,  261,  275. 
Benevento,  153. 
Benizi,  St.  Philip,  30. 
Bennet  Biscop,  St.,  65. 
Bennett,  St.,  29. 
Benno,  St.,  65. 
Berengaria  of  Castile,  113. 
Berengarius  III.,  39. 
Berenger,  Count,  51. 
Berg,  Duchy  of,  289. 
Bergamo,  City  of,  40. 
Bernardino  da  Feltri,  St.,  68. 
Bernardino  of  Siena,  St.,  32,  67. 
Bernard  of  Clairvaux,  St.,  28,  66. 
Bernard  of  Menthon.  St.,  67. 
Bernardone,  Pietro,  117. 
Bernardo  Ptolomei,  St.,  29,  67. 
Bernard,  St.,  192. 
Bernard,  St.,  Monasteries  of,  67. 
Bertha  of  Beindeleben,  103. 
Bertha,  Queen  of  England,  57. 
Berthaire,  King,  204. 
Borytus  or  Bey  rout,  127. 
Bethany,  Mary  of,  224. 
Bethesda,  the  Pool  of,  304. 
Bethlehem,  24. 138, 155,  156, 168,  196,  251. 
Bethsaida,  258. 
Bethulia,  173. 
Betrayal  of  Christ,  279. 
Bil)iana,  St.,  68. 
Birds,  19. 
Bithynia,  40.  50. 
Black  Sea,  281. 
Black,  Symbolism  of,  9,  29,  30. 


Blaise  of  Sebaste,  St.,  68. 

Blanche  of  Castile,  148,  186. 

Blocksberg,  321. 

Blood  of  Christ,  the,  307. 

Blue  Mantle,  9. 

Blue,  Symbolism  of,  9. 

Blue  Tunic,  9. 

Boatmen,  Patron  of,  178. 

Bodleian  Library,  Oxford,  73. 

Bogaris,  King  of  Bulgaria,  93. 

Bohemia,  116.  166,  189,  263. 

Boleslaus,  189. 

Bologna,  33,  51,  54,  76,  97,  107,  115,  145, 

258,  263. 
Bolsena,  Cathedral  of,  81. 
Bolsena,  Lake,  81. 
Bonaventura,  St.,  28,  32,  69. 
Boniface,  St.,  27,  29,  70,  71,  111,  184,  276, 

319,  321. 
Boniface  (St.  Aglae),  44. 
Bons-hommes,  Les,  122. 
Book,  59,  67,  75,  94,  97. 
Book  of  Decrees,  the,  55. 
Book,  Symbolism  of,  7,  16,  20,  27. 
Book,  the  Sealed,  21. 
Borghese,  Scipio,  Cardinal,  50. 
Borgia,  Francis,  286. 
Borgognone,  30. 
Brabant,  127,  259. 
Brabant,  Duke  of,  61. 
Brancacci  Chapel,  33. 
Brandeum,  Miracle  of,  134. 
Brera,  Milan,  93. 
Brescia,  City  of,  42,  111,  176. 
Brice,  St.,  71,  184. 
Bride  of  Christ,  the,  6,  209. 
Bridget  of  Ireland,  St.,  71. 
Bridget  of  Sweden,  St.,  27,  30,  71. 
Brigittines,  or  Brigitta,  Order  of,  30,  7L 
Brignolles,  187. 
Britain,  57. 
Brown,  Dark,  31. 
Brun,  Le,  187. 
Bruno,  St.,  29,  30,  72,  144. 
Brussels,  137. 
Bulalmacco,  ."^08. 
Builder's  Rule,  25. 
Bull,  Symbol,  90. 
Burgos,  Cathedral  of,  113. 
Bury  St.  Edmunds,  101. 
Butler,  Kev.  Allan,  243,  307. 
Butler's,   Allan,   "Lives  of  the  Saints," 

93. 
Byzantium,  41. 


INDEX. 


329 


CADWALLADER,  247. 
Csedmoii  the  Poet,  72. 
Caernarvonshire,  220. 
Cassar  Augustus,  194. 
Caesarea  in  Cappadocia,  60,  98,  184,  294. 
Cain,  179. 
Cairo,  200. 
Caius,  Pope,  287. 
Calabria,  72,  105,  121. 
Caldron,  Symbolism  of,  7. 
Calista,  98. 

Calocerus  the  Martyr,  42. 
Calvary,  Procession  to,  274. 
Calvinists,  the,  70. 
Camaldolesi,  the,  28-30,  272. 
Campo-Maldoli,  272. 
Campo  Santa,  Pisa,  108,  179,  190,  266. 
Cana  of  Galilee,  227. 
Candace,  Queen,  259. 
Candelabrum,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Candlestick  of  Moses,  the,  13. 
Canterbury,  57. 

Canterbury,  Archbishop  of,  48,  99. 
Canterbury  Cathedral,  48. 
Capistrano,  St.  John,  162. 
Capitoline  Hill,  222. 
Cappadocia,  50,  127,  133,  268. 
Capua,  243. 
Capuccini,  the,  113. 
Capuchins,  the,  31,  113. 
Caracalla,  Baths  of,  in  Rome,  39,  79. 
Caracci,  Annibale,  96. 
Cardinal's  Hat,  28. 
Carducho,  30. 

Caritad,  Church  of,  Seville,  106. 
Caritad,  the,  170,  172. 
Carlos,  Don,  95. 
Carlstein,  166. 
Carmelite,  Barefooted,  172. 
Carmelite  (St.  Angelus),  the,  51. 
Carmelites,  the,  33,  46,  204. 
Carmel,  Mt.,  33,  168,  204. 
Carmel,  Mt.,  Order  of,  290. 
Carmine,  Church  of,  33. 
Carpophorus,  St.,  264. 
Carsagamala,  286. 
Cartaphilus,  322. 
Carthage,  92,  235,  252. 
Carthage,  Bishop  of,  57. 
Carthusians,  the,  29,  30,  72. 
Casimir,  St.,  28,  73. 
Caspar,  197. 
Cassian,  St.,  73. 
Cassino,  Monte,  244. 


Castello,  185. 

Castiglione,  Marchese  di,  185. 

Castile,  148,  170. 

Castile  and  Leon,  113. 

Castle  of  St.  Angelo,  232. 

Catalonia,  267. 

Catalonia,  Governor  of,  123. 

Catania,  42,  187. 

Caterina  de  Vigri,  St.,  76. 

Cathari,  the,  256. 

Catherine,  St.,  6,  7,  35,  36,  97. 

Catherine  of  Alexandria,  St.,  73,  76. 

Catherine  of  Bologna,  St.,  76. 

Catherine  of  Siena,  St.,  27,  28,  32,  46,  76. 

Catherine  of  Sweden,  St.,  77. 

Cato,  89. 

Cecilia,  St.,  6,  7,  9,  36,  77. 

Cecilia-in-Trastevere,  Church  of,  78. 

Cedar  of  Lebanon,  21. 

Cedd  (St.  Chad),  79. 

Cedon,  225. 

Celestine,  Pope,  250. 

Celsus,  St.,  78,  130. 

Cemetery  of  Calixtus,  Rome,  78. 

Centa,  171. 

Cerfroy,  165. 

Certosa  at  Rome,  30. 

Certosa  di  Pavia,  30. 

Cesarea,  268. 

Cesarea,  St.,  136. 

Cesareo,  or  Caesarius,  St.,  79. 

Cesena,  269. 

Cesla.s,  145. 

Chad  of  Lichfield,  St.,  79. 

Chains,  58. 

Chalcedon,  163. 

Chalcedonia,  110. 

Chalcis,  154. 

Chalice,  Symbolism  of,  7. 

Chalice,  with  the  Serpent,  25. 

Chalons,  318. 

Chamuel,  the  Archangel,  15,  16. 

Chant,  the  Gregorian,  133. 

Chantal,  la  Mere,  79. 

Charity,  Brothers  of,  170. 

Charlemagne,  65,  80,  179,  184. 

Charles  Borromeo,  St.,  80,  260. 

Charles  of  Provence,  226. 

Charles  V.,  155,  298. 

Charles  VIIL,  12L 

Chartres,  81. 

Charlres,  Cathedral  of,  13. 

Chartreuse,  144. 

Chartreuse,  La  Grande,  72. 


330 


INDEX. 


Chartreux,  Monastery  at,  73. 

Cheron,  St.,  81. 

Cherub,  the,  22. 

Cherubim,  the,  14,  16. 

Cheb^ter,  58,  322. 

Childeric,  126. 

Childibert  II.,  233. 

Children,  28. 

China,  123. 

Chlodomir,  King,  283. 

Chosroes,  3,  305. 

Christ  and  Abgarus,  37. 

Christ  crowned  with  Thorns,  274. 

Christ  in  the  Temple,  274. 

Christ  lost  by  his  Mother,  279. 

Clinst,  the  Infant,  27. 

Christ  with  the  Doctors,  279. 

Chnsteta,  98. 

Christina,  St.,  7,  81. 

Christopher,  St.,  3G,  82. 

Chrysanthus,  St.,  85. 

Chrysogonus,  St.,  49,  50,  85. 

Chrysostom,  St.  John,  102,  178. 

Church  of  Santa  Croce,  Florence,  68. 

Church,  Symbolism  of,  7,  11. 

Cilicia,  60,  178. 

Cimabue,  33,  164. 

Cinque  Martiri,  264. 

Circus  Maximus,  49. 

Circus  of  Caligula,  255. 

Cistercians,  the,  29,  30. 

Citeaux,  Monastery  of,  66. 

Citta  Ducale,  Umbria,  113. 

City  of  David,  the,  20. 

Clairvaux,  Abbey  of,  66. 

Clara  of  Monte  Kalco,  St.,  87. 

Clara,  St.,  28,  32,  85,  118,  120. 

Claudius,  254. 

Clavijo,  152. 

Clement  of  Alexandria,  159. 

Clement,  Pope,  95. 

Clement  IV.,  Pope.  297. 

Clement  X.,  Pope,  273. 

Clement,  St.,  8,  87, 146. 

Clemente,  San,  Church  of,  87,  146. 

Clement e,  San,  Convent  of,  Seville,  114. 

Cleodolinda,  127,  128. 

Cleophas,  153. 

Cloaca  Maxima,  278. 

Closed  Gate,  the,  20. 

Clotaire  II.,  King,  107. 

Clothairc  V.,  of  France,  264. 

Clotilda,  St.,  81,  88,  126,  283. 

Cloud,  St.,  88. 


Clovis,  King  of  France,  88,  271,  283. 

Club,  25. 

Club.  Symbolism  of,  7. 

Cluniacs,  the,  29. 

Coals  in  Hand,  Symbol,  71. 

Cock,  Svmbolism  of,  8. 

Coclian  Hill  (Rome),  47, 133,  166, 180,  264, 

279. 
Coeli-Syria,  138. 
Coifi,  252. 
Coliseum,  264. 
Colle  dlnferno,  120. 
Coin,  the  River,  46. 
Cologne,  72,  91,  99,  111,  129,  142,  230,  244, 

311. 
Cologne,  Cathedral  of,  31. 
Cologne,  Kings  of,  197. 
Colors,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Columeire,283. 
Columna,  Cardinal,  307. 
Com  mod  us,  109. 
Communion  of  Mary,  204. 
Como,  Cathedral  of,  37. 
Company  of  Jesus,  the,  147. 
Compostella,  72,  151,  153,  170. 
Comtes-de-Saint-Gilles,  131. 
Concordia,  143. 

Congregation  of  Sisters  of  Charity,  320. 
Connaught,  250. 

Conon,  Prince,  or  Ethereus,  309,  312. 
Conrad,  Confessor  of  St.  Elizabeth,  106. 
Constance,  132,  270. 
Constantia,  45,  134,  166. 
Constantine,  Cross  of,  4. 
Constantine,  Emperor,  45,  73,  88,  138, 176, 

220,  239,  279,  304,  306,  323. 
Constantine  Porphyrogenitus,  Emperor,  38. 
Constantinople,  38,  41,  51,  59,  60,  93,  103, 

125,  130,  162,  163,  176, 186,  197,  237,  238, 

249,  287,  305. 
Constantius,  176. 
Constantius  Chlorus,  138. 
Conti,  Sigismund,  212. 
Conventuals,  the,  31. 
Cope,  the,  58. 
Copenhagen,  153. 
Cord,  Knotted,  Symbol,  31. 
Cordeliers,  the,  118. 
Cordova,  113,  242. 
Corfe  Castle,  101. 
Corn,  Ears  of,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Cornelius,  St.,  35. 
Cornwall,  236. 
Coronati,  the,  264. 


INDEX. 


331 


Coronation  of  the  Virgin,  13,  207,  208, 

209. 
Coronation,  the,  274,  279. 
Correggio,  35. 
Corsica,  17G. 
Cortes,  the,  291. 
Cortona,  55,  215. 
Cosmo,  St.,  36,  90. 
Costanzo,  St.,  91. 
Costis,  73. 
Coucy,  245. 
Councillors  of  God,  14. 
Coventry,  132. 
Craco,  145. 

Crediton,  Devonshire,  70. 
Creed  of  St.  Athanasius,  56. 
Creed,  the  Apostles',  24. 
Creed,  the  Nicene,  14. 
Cremona,  30,  34,  215,  245,  283. 
Cremona,  Cathedral  of,  46. 
Crescentius,  243,  244. 
Crescent,  Symbolism  of,  11, 
Crispianus,  St.,  91. 
Crispin,  St.,  91. 
Croatia,  264. 

Croce,  Santa,  Church  of,  68. 
Cromwell,  250. 
Crosier,  25,  67. 
Cross,  St.  Andrew's,  25,  50. 
Cross,  Symbolism  of  the,  3,  8. 
Cross,  the  Greek,  21. 
Cross,  the  True,  3,  138. 
Crown,  75,  82. 

Crown  of  Roses,  Symbol,  78. 
Crown,  Symbolism  of,  6,  27. 
Crown  of  Thorns,  Symbolism  of,  8,  27. 
Crown  of  Thorns,  the,  307. 
Croyland  Abbey,  137. 
Crucifix,  the,  27. 

Crucifixion,  the,  202,  274,  279,  283. 
Crucifixion,  Symbols  of  the,  8,  10,  12. 
Crutch,  54. 
Ctesiphon,  176. 

Cuevas,  Santa  Maria  de  las,  72. 
Cumae,  281. 

Cunegunda,  St.,  91,  141. 
Cunibcrt,  St.,  91,  314. 
Cup,  the.  16. 

Cuthbert  of  Durham,  St.,  91,  111,  247. 
Cybele,  2:}3. 
Cypress,  the,  20. 
Cyprian,  St.,  35,  92. 
Cyprus,  59. 
Cyriaca,  180. 


Cyriacus,  312. 

Cyril,  St.,  93,  254. 

Cyrus,  King  of  Babylon,  61. 


DACIAN,  111,  128. 
Dagnus,  King  of  Lycia,  84. 
Dagobert,  King,  91,  95,  i07. 
Dale  Abbey,  94. 
Dalmatia,  275. 
Damascus,  176. 
Damasus  I.,  Pope,  323. 
Damian,  St.,  36,  90.  94. 
Damiano,  San,  Convent  of,  86. 
Damiano,  San  Perugia,  117. 
Damietta,  119. 
Danegelt,  102. 
Daniel,  19,  21,  61,  124,  2-32. 
Daniel,  the  Book  of,  288. 
Daria.  308. 
Daria,  St.,  85,  94. 
David,  13,  19,  303. 
David,  Race  of,  156,  167. 
Dead  Nuns,  Legend  of,  94. 
Dead  Sea,  158,  254. 
Death  of  Joseph,  the,  201. 
Death  of  the  Virgin,  204. 
"  De  Bono  Mortis,'"  the,  71. 
Decius,  p:mperor,  42,  234,  268,  279,  280. 
Decius,  Persecution  of.  111,  279. 
Delphi,  281. 
Delphine,  St.,  94,  102. 
Demon,  the,  67. 
Denis,  St.,  36,  81,  91,  94, 100, 132, 143, 136, 

22.9. 
Deposition,  the.  202,  279. 
Descent  from  the  Cross,  the,  202. 
Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  203,  274. 
Diana,  202. 

Diana  at  Ephesus,  159. 
Diana.  Temple  of,  263. 
Dice,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Didron,'  2,  3. 
Didymus,  293. 
Diego  d'  Alcala,  St.,  95. 
Dies  Irae,  280. 
Digna.  41. 
Diu:na,  St.,  95. 
Dijon,  66. 
Diocletian,  90,  92.  108,  109,  114,  127,  128, 

145,   182,  187,  236,  248,   256,   264,  276, 

287,  317. 
D'ocletian,  Persecution  of,  46,  49,  51. 
Dion  Chrysostomus,  254. 


332 


INDEX. 


DJony?ius,  279. 

l)i(»iiysiu?-,  King  of  Portuf^l,  106. 

Dioiiy.-ius  tlie  Areopagite,  14,  94,  207. 

iJiosc'oru!;;,  58. 

Dispute  ill  the  Temple,  the,  201. 

Dniester,  the,  145. 

Do;,',  Symbol.  97,  216. 

Dulpliiii,  Symbolism  of,  2. 

Domatilla,  Flavia,  39. 

Domenichino,  29,  156,  244. 

Domenico,  San,  190. 

Dominations,  the,  15. 

Domine  quo  vadisV  255. 

Dominican  Nuns,  Order  of,  97. 

Dominican  Order,  45,  77,  267. 

Dominicans,  tiie,  31-33,  55,  145. 

Dominick,  St.,  32,  96,  145,  256,  274. 

Dominick,  St.,  Convent,  Siena,  76. 

Dcminick,  St.,  Order  of,  273. 

Domitian,  Emperor,  39,  87,  159,  162,  229. 

Domitilla,  87. 

Donatello,  32,  227. 

D<inato  of  Arezzo,  St.,  97. 

Donato,  St.,  36,  142. 

Dorat,  Cross  of,  4. 

Dorothea,  St.,  5,  28,  98. 

Dottore  Seralico,  II,  .32,  69. 

Dove,  61,  91,  107,  109,  134,  167. 

Dove,  Symbolism  of,  5,  12,  24,  28. 

Down,  250. 

Dratcon,  Symbolism  of,  4,  13,  28. 

Drahomira,  189. 

Drusiana,  160. 

Dublin.  250. 

Duns  Scot  us,  99. 

Dunstan,  St..  29,  98,  100,  101. 

Durandus,  33. 

Durer,  Albert,  127. 

Durham,  Bishop  of,  29. 

Durham,  Cathedral  of,  92. 

Dusbeldorf,  290. 


■pAGLE,  the,  22,  25,  161. 

-*--*     Ear  of  Malchus,  Symbolism  of,  8. 

Earth,  Symb<tlism  of,  11. 

Eblia  of  Coldin^jham,  St.,  99. 

Ebb  s  Head.  St.,  109. 

Ebro,  the,  150. 

Erbataiie,  173,  299. 

Etic  Af/nits  Del.  4.  158. 

Ecclesiastical  History,  St.  Bede,  61. 

Edessa,  37,  38,  47. 

Edgar,  King,  99-101. 


Edinburgh,  131. 

Edith  of  Polesworth,  100,  236. 

Edith  of  Wilton,  St.,  100. 

Edmund,  King,  99.  100. 

Edna  of  Ecbatane,  301. 

Edward,  King  and  Confessor,  St.,  101, 114, 

160. 
Edwin,  King,  99,  142,  252. 
Egbert,  King,  235. 
Egfrid,  King,  109. 
Etiidio,  St.,  240. 
Egregius  Doctor  Hispaniae,  149. 
Egypt,  168,  186,  190,  217,  229. 
Egyptian  Cross,  3. 
Eichstadt,  29,  321. 
Eisenach,  103. 

Eleazar  de  Sabran,  St.,  94,  102. 
Elenora  of  Spain,  114. 
Eleutherius,  95. 
Eifleda,  248. 
Elfrida,  101. 
Elgiva,  99. 

Elijah,  the  Prophet,  33,  204. 
Elisabeth,  St ,  102. 
Elizabeth,  158,  194,  201,  250. 
Elizabeth  of  Austria,  73. 
Elizabeth  of  Hungary,  St.,  6,  28,  32,  103. 
Elizabeth  of  Portugal,  St.,  106. 
Elizabeth,  Queen,  106. 
Elmo,  St.,  108. 
Kloy  of  Noyon,  St.,  107.  127. 
Eiphege,  St.,  107. 
Ely,  322. 

Ely,  Cathedral  of,  109. 
Emeric,  St.,  287. 
Enclosed  Garden,  the,  20. 
England,  181,  182. 
Enns,  the  River,  116. 
Entombment,  the,  202. 
Enurchus,  or  Evurtms,  St.,  107. 
Ephcsus,  159,  204,  205,  279. 
Eplicsus,  St.,  108. 
Ephrem  of  Edessa,  St.,  108. 
Epiphany,  the,  196. 
Erasmus  of  Formia,  St.,  108. 
Krcolano,  St.,  108. 
Eremitani.  the,  Padua,  31. 
Erliard,  248. 
Erythnva,  281. 
Escurial,  the,  34,  155,  181. 
Esdras,  15. 
Espinosa,  185. 
Esquiline,  the,  217,  262. 
Esther,  19. 


INDEX. 


333 


Ethelberga,  St.,  108. 

Ethelbert,  King  of  England,  67. 

Ethelfrid,  58. 

Ethelred,  101. 

Ethelreda,  St.,  109,  322. 

Ethelwald,  St.,  100. 

Ethiopia,  229. 

Eucharist,  the  Holy,  8,  161,  180. 

Eudoxia,  Empress,  163,  255. 

Eugenia,  St.,  109. 

Eulalia,  St.,  109,  182. 

Eunomia,  41,  110. 

Euphemia,  St.,  110. 

Euphemian,  47,  48. 

Euphrosina,  97. 

Eusebius,  37,  111,  154. 

Eustace,  St.,  5,  110. 

Eustochium,  St.,  252. 

Eutropia,  St.  41,  111. 

Eutychia,  187. 

Evangelists,  the,  16,  23,  31,  157. 

Evangelists,  Symbols  of,  12. 

Eve,  16,  19. 

Eve,  Second,  210. 

Ewald  the  Black,  and  Ewald  the  Fair,  Sts., 

111. 
Ezekiel,  14,  19,  21. 


FABER,  Frederic  Wilfrid,  260. 
Fabian,  St.,  111. 
Fabricius,  98. 

Face  in  the  Clouds,  Symbolism  of,  10. 
Faith,  St.,  111. 
Falcon,  61. 

Farnese,  Cardinal,  244. 
Father  of  Orthodoxy,  56. 
Fathers  of  the  Church,  the  Latin,  48,  66, 

281. 
Faucon,  165. 
Faustinus,  St.,  42,  111. 
Felice,  San,  218. 
Felicitas,  St.,  112. 
Felix  de  Cantalicio,  St.,  32,  113. 
Felix  de  Valois,  St.,  112,  165. 
Felix,  or  Felice,  St.,  113. 
Felix,  Son  of  Felicitas,  112. 
Felix,  St.,  2.30,  236. 
Ferdinand  of  Castile,  St.,  113,  149. 
Ferdinand,  Prince,  96. 
Ferdinand,  St.,  149. 
Ferdinand  the  Catholic,  146. 
Fermo,  242. 
Ferrara,  59,  96,  229. 


Ferrymen,  Patron  of,  178. 

Fescennius,  95. 

Festival  of  St.  Blaise  in  Yorkshire,  69. 

Festival  of  the  Rosary,  275. 

Fidanga,  Giovanni,  69. 

Fiesole,  50,  55,  272. 

Fiesole,  Angelico  da,  33. 

Filippino  Lippi,  33. 

Filomena,  St.,  114. 

Fina  of  Gemignano,  St.,  115. 

Fire,  Protector  against,  54. 

Fire,  Symbolism  of,  6. 

Fish,  Symbolism  of  the,  2,  14,  25,  28. 

Fish  with  Key  in  its  Mouth,  66. 

Fitzurze,  Reginald,  296. 

Five  Wounds,  Symbolism  of,  8. 

Flagellation,  the,  274. 

Flames  of  Fire,  54. 

Flames,  Symbolism  of,  6. 

Flaming  Heart,  Symbolism  of,  6,  27t 

Flaming  Sword,  16. 

Fl.mders,  131. 

Flavia  Domitella,  39. 

Flavia,  St.,  29,  115,  261. 

Flavian,  162. 

Flavius  Claudius,  176. 

Fleur-de-Lys,  187. 

Fleur-de-Lys,  Symbol,  88. 

Fleur  de  Marie,  193. 

Flight  into  Egypt,  168,  199,  279. 

Florence,  31,  33,  50,  55,  68,  70,  91, 107, 158, 

163,  164,  208,  227,  234,  235,  259,  261,  268. 
Florence,  Archbishop  of,  55. 
Florentius,  64,  231. 
Florian,  St.,  115. 
Flowers,  Symbolism  of,  6,  20. 
Foligno,  91. 
Fontaine,  66. 
Fonte-Branda,  Siena,  76. 
Fontevrauld,  France,  29. 
Forli,  231. 
Formia,  108. 
Forum,  the,  222. 
Fossa-Nova,  298. 
Fossa-Nova,  Cardinal  di,  97. 
Fountain,  the,  20. 
Fountain  of  Mary,  200. 
Fra  Angelico,  33. 
Fra  Bartolommeo,  33,  257. ' 
Fra  Farina,  80. 

Francesca  Romana,  St.,  116,  255. 
Francis  I.,  122. 
Francis,  St.,  27,  28,  31,  32,  54,  55,  68,  69, 

86,  97,  216. 


334 


INDEX. 


Francis,  St.,  Order  of,  102,  187,  273. 

Francis  Burgia.  St  ,  123. 

Francis  do  Paula,  St.,  121. 

Francis  du  Sales,  St.,  27,  79,  122. 

Francis  of  Assisi,  St.,  117,  121. 

Francis  Xavier,  St.,  34,  122. 

Franciscans,  Founder  of,  117. 

Franciscans,  Order  of,  31,  32,  54,  186. 

Francisco  da  Lucia,  115. 

Francisco,  San,  Church  of,  at  Aquila,  G8. 

Francisco,  San,  Chui-ck  of,  at  Pisa,  115. 

Frascati,  244. 

Frati  Minori,  119. 

Frederick  II.,  Emperor,  105. 

Frediano  of  Lucca,  St.,  124. 

"Fridolin,"  Schiller's,  107. 

Freiberg,  242. 

Freres  de  T  Observance,  68. 

Friesland,  70,  111,  289. 

Frondisia,  42,  43. 

Fruit  of  the  Spirit,  6. 

Fruit,  Symbolism  of,  6,  20. 

Fulda,  71,  184. 


GABAEL,  300. 
Gabriel,  St.,  the  Archangel,  5, 15, 16, 
124,  109,  193,  236. 
Gaddi,  Taddeo,  29,  32,  33. 
Gaeta,  244. 
Gains,  42. 

Galerius  ^laxiraian.  Emperor,  40, 11.5,  249. 
Galgano,  Monte,  232,  244. 
Galilee,  150. 
Galilee,  Cana  in,  201. 
Galla  Placida,  Empress,  161. 
Gamaliel,  28G. 
Garcilasso  de  la  Vega,  123. 
Garden  of  Eden,  16. 
Garter,  Order  of  the,  129. 
Gaudentius  of  Novara,  St.,  125. 
Gaudenzio,  St.,  125. 
Gaul,  154,  230. 
Gemignano,  San,  115. 
Geminianus,  St.,  125. 
Geneva,  67. 

Geneva,  Bishop  of,  122. 
Geneva,  Lake,  230. 
Gen^vidve,  St..  95,  125. 
Genevieve  of  Brabant,  127. 
Genoa,  City  of,  38.  49,  78,  181,  182. 
George  of  Cajipadocia,  St.,  127. 
George,  St.,  4.  35,  36,  40,  141,  218,  293. 
Gareon,  St.,  129. 


Germain,  St.,  125,  131. 

Gerirudo  of  Nirvtlle,  St.,  137. 

Gervais,  St.,  Church  of,  115. 

Gervasius,  St.,  78,  130,  230,  320. 

Gervii,  Prince  of  the,  109. 

Gesu,  Church  of,  Rome,  124. 

Gethsemane,  Garden  of,  274. 

Geysa,  Duke,  287. 

Ghent,  61,  184. 

Ghirlandajo,  30. 

Ghost,  the  Holy,  5,  12. 

Gibbon,  279. 

Gibraltar,  171. 

Gideon,  19,  232. 

Gilbert  a  Becket,  295. 

Giles,  St.,  5,  29,  131,  263. 

Giorgio-in-Alga,  San,  185. 

Giorgio  Maggiore,  San,  218. 

Giorgio,  San,  Convent  of,  86. 

Giottino,  32. 

Giotto,  32,  119. 

Giovanni,  Fra,  55. 

Giovanni  in  Olio,  San,  159. 

Giovanni  Patricio,  216. 

Giovita,  St.,  42. 

Giralda,  the,  178. 

Giulia,  St.,  143. 

Giulio  Canipi,  284. 

Ginstina,  San,  Church  at  Padua,  29. 

Glanfeuil,  231. 

Glastonbury,  98,  99,  236. 

Glastonbury,  Abbey  of,  131. 

Globe,  the,'l9. 

Gloria  in  Exrelsis,  195,  246,  266. 

Gloria  Patri,  274. 

Glory,  Symbolism  of  the,  2. 

Gloucestershire,  248. 

Goa,  123,  294. 

Godfrey  of  Bouillon,  132. 

Godfrey  of  Boulogne,  129. 

God  the  Father,  Symbols  of,  9. 

God  the  Son,  Symbols  of,  11. 

Gold  Color,  Symbolism  of,  9. 

Golden  Fleece,  Order  of,  60. 

Golden  Gate,  the,  157. 

Gondoforus,  294. 

Gondubald.  283. 

Goose,  Symbol,  222. 

Gordian,  133. 

Gorgonin,  St ,  136. 

Gospel,  tile,  58. 

Goths,  tlie,  149. 

Gourd,  the,  16. 

Governors',  the,  15. 


INDEX. 


335 


Gracchi,  the,  155,  251.. 
Grado,  185. 

Grammont  in  Flanders,  41. 
Granada,  171. 

Grapes,  Biiiiclies  of,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Grata,  St.,  40,  133. 
Gray,  2!),  31. 
Gray,  Symbolism  of,  9. 
Great  Litanies,  232. 
Great  Martyr,  129. 
Greece,  50. 
Greek  Cross,  3,  4,  21. 
"Green,  S^Miibolism  of,  9. 
Greenwich,  48. 
Gregorian  Chant,  133. 
Gregono,  San,  Church  of,  133. 
Gregory  IX.,  Pope,  267. 
Gregory  XI.,  Pope,  77. 
Gregory  XIII.,  Pope,  274. 
Gregory,  St.,  57,  61,  115,  133,  190, 232,  278. 
Gregory  of  Nazianzen,  St.,  60,  136. 
Gregory  of  Tours,  St.,  306. 
Grenoble,  72. 
Greve,  Place  de,  127. 
Grisogono,  St.,  49. 
Grotta  Ferrata,  244. 
Grotta  Ferrata,  Convent,  29. 
Gualberto,  St.  John,  163. 
Guastala,  59. 
Gudula,  St.,  137. 
Guelphs  and  Ghibellines,  68. 
Guido,  261. 
Guido  da  Siena,  33. 
Guthlac  of  Croyland,  St.,  137. 
Guyenne,  Duke  of,  220. 
Guzman,  House  of,  96. 


TTABAKKUK,  Prophet,  63,  205,  232. 

-'--'-    Habits  of  various  Orders,  32. 

Hades,  158. 

Hadrian,  2-32,  275,  305. 

Haerlem,  61. 

Hagar,  232. 

Halberd,  the,  25. 

Hammer,  Symbolism  of,  8. 

Hanbury,  322. 

Hand,  Symbolism  of,  9. 

Hanover,  40. 

Haroun  al  Raschid,  241. 

Hart,  Symbolism  of,  5. 

Heart,  Flaming,  27. 

Heart,  Symbolism  of,  6,  8. 


Hebron,  Valley  of,  303. 
Heidenheim,  321. 

Heifer,  Sacrilice  of.  Symbolism  of,  12. 
Helena,  254. 

Helena,  Empress  St.,  89,  137, 197,  220,  304. 
Helen  of  Troy,  255. 
Heliodorus,  138. 
Heliogabalus,  251. 
Heliopolis,  58,  94,  199. 
Hellespont,  the,  281. 
Henry  II.  of  England,  295. 
Henry  II.,  St.,  of  Bavaria,  41, 141, 181,  287. 
Henry  IV.,  Emperor,  65. 
Henry  IV.,  of  England,  244,  319. 
Henry  VIII.,  250. 
Heracliiis,  Emperor,  305. 
Herefordshire,  58. 
Herman-Joseph,  St.,  142. 
Herman  of  Thuringia,  103. 
Hermengildus.  St.,  142,  149. 
Hermione,  St.,  258. 
Hermits  of  St.  Francis,  121. 
Hermogenes,  150. 
Hermolaus,  249. 
Herod,  150,  158,  196,  199. 
Herrera,  142. 

"Hidden  Gem,  The,"  by  Cardinal  Wise- 
man, 48. 
Hierapolis,  City  of,  38,  258. 
Hierotheus,  207. 
Hilaria,  St.,  41. 
Hilarion,  St.,  97,  142. 
Hilary,  St.,  142. 
Hilda  of  Whitby,  St.,  72,  142. 
Hildegarde,  Empress,  184. 
Hind,  Symbolism  of,  5,  28. 
Hippo,  Bishop  of,  57. 
Hippo,  St.  Augustine  of,  30. 
Hippolytus,  St.,  143,  181. 
Hircanus,  139. 
Hog,  Symbolism  of,  54. 
Hohenburg,  248. 
Holofernes,  U3,  173. 
Holy  Cave,  226. 
Holy  Family,  200. 
Holy  Ghost]  Symbols  of,  12,  13. 
Holy  Island,  92. 
Honoria,  Princess,  125. 
Honorius,  Emperor,  47,  48. 
Honorius,  Pope,  120. 
Honorius  III.,  Pope,  256. 
Hospitallers,  Order  of,  170. 
Howard,  Cardinal,  33. 
Hubert,  St.,  5,  143, 178. 


336 


INDEX. 


Huesca,  180. 

Hugh  Capet,  243. 

Hugh,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  St.,  144. 

Hugh  of  Grenoble,  St.,  144. 

Hugh,  St.  Martyr,  144. 

Hugo,  163. 

Hugo,  Bishop  of  Grenoble,  72. 

Humbert,  Bishop,  101. 

Hungarians,  the,  162. 

Hyacinth,  St.,  145. 

Hydrophobia,  144. 

Hypatia,  93. 


TAGO,  St..  or  St.  James,  113. 

-'-     Tconium,  291. 

Ignatius  Loyola,  St.,  34,  122,  124,  146. 

Ignatius  of  Antioch,  St.,  87,  146. 

I.  H.  S.,  27. 

lidefonso,  St.,  29,147,  182. 

lllyria,  49. 

Immaculate  Conception,  Doctrine  of,  99. 

Immaculate  Conception,  Our  Lady  of,  209. 

Imola,  Patron  of,  73,  229. 

Ina,  King,  109. 

Incarnation,  the,  19,  22,  283. 

Incoronata,  the,  208,  209. 

Infant  Christ,  the,  27. 

Innocent  I.,  Pope,  47,  48. 

Innocent  II..  Pope,  66. 

Innocent  III.,  Pope,  119,  280. 

Innocent  IV.,  Pope,  86. 

Innocent  YIIL,  Pope,  307. 

Innocents,  Massacre  of  the,  148. 

Intarsiatura,  30. 

Invention  of  the  True  Cross,  138. 

Iphigcnia,  229. 

IrenaMis,  254. 

Irene,  277. 

Iria  Flavia,  151. 

Isaac,  16,  232. 

Isabel  de  Paz,  106. 

Isabella,  Empress,  123. 

Isabella  of  France,  St.,  148. 

Isaiah,  19,  21,  192.  198,  283. 

IsHiah.  Rapha(^rs  Picture  of,  31. 

Isidore.  St.,  Bishop  of  Seville,  142,149, 159. 

I-^idore  of  I*i'lu>-ium,  254. 

Isicb.re  tlie  Plouglnnan,  St.,  148. 

Mam,  124. 

Italian  Trinity,  the,  14. 

Ives  of  Bretagne,  St.,  149. 

Ivo,  145. 


JACOB,  16,  196. 
^     Jacobins,  the,  97. 
Jacques,  Kue  St.,  Paris,  97. 
Jago,  St.,  Order  of,  151. 
James  Major,  St.,  24. 
James  Minor,  St.,  25,  153. 
James  of  Aragon,  King,  257,  267. 
James  the  Great,  St.,  149,  159. 
Jameson,  Mrs.,  23,  204. 
Januarius,  St.,  36,  153. 
Januarius,  Son  of  Felicitas,  112. 
Japan,  122. 
Jarrow,  61,  65. 
Jean  de  France,  319. 
Jehudiel,  the  Angel,  15. 
Jehoshaphat,  Valley  of,  206. 
Jeremiah,  21. 
Jericho,  232. 
Jerome,  St.,  4,  7,  13,  21,  28,  34,  35,  50,  63, 

154,  168,  219,  223,  251,  281,  290. 
Jerony mites,  the,  34,  155. 
Jerusalem,  50.  138,  147.  153,  196,  204,  206, 

208,  223,  226,  254, 265,  287,  303,  306,  316- 
Jerusalem,  Symbol  of,  12,  24. 
Jesuit  Order,' 123,  146. 
Jesuits,  the,  34. 
Jew,  the  Wandering,  156. 
Jews,  124. 

Joachim,  St.,  156,  191. 
Joacim,  288. 

Joan,  Countess  of  Ponthieu,  113. 
Joan  of  Bavaria,  166. 
Joanna  II.  of  Sicily,  77. 
John,  279. 
John  XVI.,  243. 
John,  Abbot  of  San  Mnrtino,  65. 
John,  St.,  25,  201,  205,  209,  291. 
John,  St.,  and  St.  Paul,  166. 
John,  St.,  Gospel  of,  61. 
John  conducting  the  Virgin  to  his  Home, 

202. 
John  de  Matha,  St.,  112,  165,  257. 
John  of  Avila,  171. 
John  the  Baptist,  St.,  4,  16,  22,  64,  102, 

157. 
John  the  Evangelist,  St.,  7,  9,  12.  13,  22, 

25,  135,  146,  158,  201,  202,  204,  227. 
Jiilin  Cnpistraiio,  St.,  162. 
John  Clirvsostom,  St.,  102. 
Jolin  Gualberto.  St.,  28,  103. 
John  Nepomuck,  St.,  105. 
Jophiel,  the  Angel,  16. 
Joppa,  161. 
Jordan,  the,  158,  223. 


INDEX. 


33T 


Joseph,  St.,  6,  9, 12,  30,  36,  167,  192,  194, 

196,  201,  290. 
Joseph  of  Arimathea,  132,  202. 
Joshua,  232. 
Jovita,  St.,  11],  170. 
Joys,  Seven,  of  the  Virgin,  13. 
Juan  de  Dios,  St.,  170. 
Juan  de  la  Cruz,  St.,  172. 
Juan  de  Vargas,  148. 
Judaja,  159,  169. 
Judah,  Tribe  of,  167. 
Judas,  180,  229. 
•Judas,  Dress  of,  9. 
Judas  Iscariot,  172. 
Judas  Syriacus,  or  Omriacus  and  the  True 

Cross,  304. 
Jude,  St.,  173,  196,  284. 
Judith,  19,  156. 
Judith  and  Holofernes,  173. 
Julia,  St.,  176. 
Julian,  81,  178. 
Julian  the  Apostate,  60,  68,  97,  136,  166, 

176,  221,  231,  322. 
Julian  Hospitator,  St.,  177. 
Julian  of  Rimini,  St.,  178. 
Juliers  in  Flanders,  131. 
Julius  II.,  244. 
Juno,  5. 

Just,  St.,  34,  155. 
Justa,  or  JCistina,  St.,  178. 
Justin,  St.,  254,  255. 
Justina,  St.,  5,  178. 
Justina  of  Antioch,  St.,  5,  92,  178. 
Justinian  I.,  51,  249. 


KAISERWERDT,  290. 
Kent,  England,  57. 
Keys,  the,  25. 
Kildare  (St.  Bridget),  71. 
Kiov,  in  Russia,  145. 
Kloster  N"euberg,  18X 
Knife,  the,  25,  60. 
Knife,  the  Sacrificial,  16. 
Koran,  the,  13,  279. 
Kostka,  St.  Stanislaus,  34. 


LABARUM,  the,  4. 
Lactia,  wi'c  of  Lubrius,  95. 
Ladder,  Symbolsn  of,  8. 
La  Madalcine,  the,  320. 
"La  Madonna  della  Cintola,"  Legend  of, 
293. 


Lamb  of  God,  24. 

Lamb,  Symbolism  of,  4,  24,  28. 

Lambert,  St.,  144. 

Lambert  of  Maestricht,  St.,  179. 

Lamech,  179. 

Lamp,  Symbolism  of,  6. 

Lance,  the,  25,  306. 

Lance,  Symbolism  of,  7. 

Landolfo,  297. 

Languedoc,  29,  257,  268. 

Lantern,  Symbolism  of,  6,  8. 

Laodicea,  47. 

Lastingham,  Priory  of,  79. 

Last  Supper,  33,  153,  159,  180. 

Lateran,  St.  John,  Church  of,  306. 

Lateran,  the,  77,  89,  114,  119,  135,  264. 

Latin  Cross,  3,  4. 

Latin  Fathers  of  the  Church,  48. 

Latin  Gate,  159. 

Laurati,  Pietro,  190. 

Laurence,  St.,  35,  141,  143,  180,  287,  317. 

Lazare,  St.,  320. 

Lazarus,  214,  225,  316. 

Lazarus,  St.,  182. 

Leander,  149. 

Leander,  St.,  142,  182. 

Lebanon,  205.     ■ 

Lebbeus,  St.,  284. 

Legend  of  the  Holy  Girdle,  207. 

"Legends   of  the   Monastic   Orders,"  by 
Mrs.  Jameson,  295. 

Lemnos,  310. 

Leo  I.,  Pope,  37. 

Leo  X.,  Pope,  33,  200. 

Leo  XIII..  Pope,  208,  note. 

Leo  the  Iconoclast,  110. 

Leocadia,  St.,  147,  182. 

Leofric,  Earl  of  Murcia,  132. 

Leon  and  Castile,  113. 

Leonard,  St.,  36,  183. 

Leonardo  da  Vinci,  33. 

Leontine,  St.,  56. 

Leopold  of  Austria,  St.,  183. 

Leopold  sbcrg,  183. 

I.eovigild,  King,  142. 

Lepanto,  Battle  of,  274. 

Lepers,  28. 

Lerma,  Duke  of,  124. 

Le  Sueur,  30. 

Leuchtenberg  Gallery,  267. 

Levi,  228. 

Liberius,  Pope,  217. 

Libya,  127,  217,  281. 

Lichfield,  79. 


22 


338 


INDEX. 


Licinius,  293. 

Lifge,  144. 

Lieviu,  or  Livin,  St.,  184. 

Liguria,  4y. 

Lily,  yi,  125. 

Lily,  Syuibulism  of,  6,  16,  20,  28. 

Lima,  27:^. 

Limoges,  107,  183,  220. 

Lincoln,  144. 

Lincolnshire,  248. 

Lindisfarne,  92,  247. 

Lioba,  St.,  184. 

Lion  of  Judah,  4. 

Lion,  Symbolism  of,  4,  22. 

Lipi)i,  rilippino,  33. 

Lisbon,  318. 

Lodbrog,  Ragnar,  100. 

Lombardi,  32. 

Lombardy,  115. 

London,  111,  131. 

Longchamps,  148. 

Longinus,  St.,  184. 

Lorenzo  Giustiniani,  St.,  185. 

Lorenzo,  San,  in  Cremona,  30. 

Lorenzo,  San,  in  Florence,  31. 

Loretto,  275. 

Lothairo,  King  of  Italy,  39. 

Louis  Yin.,  18G. 

Louis  XL  of  France,  121. 

Louis  XIT.,  122. 

Louis  XIII.,  320. 

Louis  Beltran,  or  Bertrand,  185. 

Louis  Gonzaga,  St.,  185. 

Louis,  King,  148. 

Louis.  Kin-?  of  Bavaria,  71. 

Louis-le-Debonnaire,  65. 

Louis,  Prince  of  Thuringia,  103. 

Louis,  St.,  32,  70,  186,  220,  233,  306,  307. 

Louis,  St.,  of  Toulouse,  32,  187. 

Louise  d'Angouleme,  122. 

Louise  de  la  Misericorde,  Soeur,  187. 

Lovola,  Ignatius,  34,  122,  133,  146. 

Luca  della  Robbia,  32. 

Lucas  van  Leyden,  179,  215. 

Lucca,  124. 

Lucia,  St.,  6,  7.  187. 

Ludmilla,  St.,  181). 

Luini,  30,  1!";2. 

Luke.  St.,  22,  25,  124,  189,  223,  290,  315. 

Lupa,  151. 

Lupo,  St.,  40.  190. 

Luther,  106.  2:)8. 

Luxembourg,  259. 

Luxembourg,  Count  of,  141. 


Lycia,  King  of,  84. 
Lycias,  Procousul,  90. 
Lyons,  70. 
Lystra,  59. 


MACARIUS,  St.,  190,  305. 
Maccabees,  Book  of,  138. 
Maccabees,  the  Seven,  112. 
Macheronta,  158. 
Macrina,  St.,  60. 
Madonna,  the,  6,  9,  191,  209. 
Madonna  della  Sedin,  213. 
Madonna  di  Foligno,  212. 
Madonna  di  San  Sisto,  29. 
Madonna  Purissima,  210. 
Madre  Pia,  195. 
aiadrc  Serafica,  32,  86. 
Madrid,  124. 
Maestricht,  179. 
Maestricht,  Bishop  of,  61. 
Magdala,  or  Magdalon,  225. 
Magdalen,  the,  9. 
Magdalen,  Pictures  of  the,  187. 
Magdeburg,  245. 
Magi,  Adoration  of  the,  169. 
Maguelonne,  Languedoc,  65. 
Mahometans,  267,  274. 
Maiano,  Benedetto  da,  32. 
Maisons  de  Charite,  170. 
Majorca,  267. 
Malacca,  123. 
Malchus,  279. 
Malmedun,  Forest  of,  61. 
Mai  ardent,  126. 
Malta,  42,  43. 
Maltese  Cross,  4. 
Mamertinc  Prison,  255. 
Manasses,  174. 
Mandoria,  the,  2. 
Manresa,  147. 
Mantle,  Blue,  9. 
Mantua,  59,  185,  307. 
Marah,  303. 

Marbourg,  City  of,  106. 
Marcella,  St.,  'l55,  214,  225. 
Marcellinup,  St.,  214,  256.  277. 
IMarcian,  279. 
:\Iarco,  San,  217. 
Marcus,  277. 

Marcus  Aurelius,  91.  112. 
:\Targaret,  St.,  4.  3G,  214,  220. 
Margaret  of  Cortona,  St.,  32,  216. 
Maria-del-Fiore,  Santa,  268. 


INDEX. 


339 


Maria  della  Navicella,  Santa,  165. 

Maria  della  Vallicella,  Santa,  261. 

Maria  in  Capitolio,  St.,  281, 

Maria  in  Organo,  Santa,  Church  of,  30. 

Maria  Maddalena  de'  Pazzi,  27,  216. 

Maria  Maggiore,  Santa,  216. 

Mariamne,  St.,  258. 

Maria-Sopra-Minerva,  Church,  33. 

Maria  Theresa,  287. 

Marina,  St.,  216. 

Marinus,  233. 

IMariiis  and  Sylla,  Wars  of,  281. 

Mark,  St.,  22,'  35,  51,  59,  217,  293. 

Mark,  St.,  Convent  of,  33. 

Marmoutier,  France,  29. 

Marmoutier,  Monastery  of,  221. 

Marriage  at  Cana,  201. 

Marriage  of  St.  Catherine,  Legend  of,  74. 

Marriage  of  the  Virgin,  192. 

Mars,  258. 

Marseilles,  182,  187,  219,  225,  227. 

Martel,  Charles,  70. 

Martha,  St.,  4,  36,  155,  214,  219,  225. 

Martial,  Son  of  Felicitas,  112. 

Martial,  St.,  220. 

Martina,  St.,  222. 

Martinian,  255. 

Martinmas-Tide,  222. 

Martin    of    Tours,    St.,   57,   64,   71,  220, 

293. 
Mary,  158. 

Mary  and  Martha,  182. 
Mary  Cleophas,  207. 
Mary  Magdalene,  35,  36,  97,  201,  203,  207, 

219,  223. 
Mary,  Mother  of  St.  James,  153. 
Mary  of  Egypt,  St.,  223. 
Mary  Salome,  207. 
Mary  the  Penitent,  St.,  227. 
Masaccio,  33. 
Masolino,  33. 

Massacre  of  the  Innocents,  148,  283. 
Massa,  Town  of,  67. 
Massimi  Family,  260. 
Massimi,  Palazzo,  260. 
Mass  of  St.  Gregory,  134. 
Matarea,  200. 
Mater  Amabilis,  212. 
Mater  Apostolorum,  203. 
Mater  Dolorosa,  210. 
Mater  Sapiential,  19. 
Matha,  St.  John  de,  165. 
Mathurins,  165. 
Matilda,  Queen,  131. 


Matthew,  St.,  22,  228,  284. 

Matthew,  St.,  Gospel  of,  59,  60. 

Matthias,  St.,  25,  22-9. 

Maurelio,  or  Maurelius,  St.,  229. 

Maure-sur- Loire,  St.,  231. 

Maurice,  Order  of  St.,  230. 

Maurice,  St.,  129,  229. 

Maurisa,  147. 

Maur,  St.,  France,  29. 

Maurus,  St.,  29,  64,  230. 

Maxentius,  89. 

Maxima,  51. 

Maximian,   Emperor,   113,  129,  179,  230, 

279. 
Maximilla,  50. 
Maximin,  225,  229. 
Maximin,  Tj-rant,  75. 
Maximus,  78,  288. 
Mayence,  321. 
Mayence,  Cathedral  of,  31. 
Mayence,  First  Bishop  of,  70. 
Medici  Family,  91. 
Meissen,  Bishop  of,  66. 
Meliapore,  294. 
Melrose,  247. 
Memmi,  Simone,  33. 
Mendicant  Orders,  117. 
Mercuriale,  St.,  231. 
Mercurius,  St.,  177,  231. 
Mercy,  the  Oil  of,  303. 
Mercy,  the  Order  of,  30,  267. 
Mercy,  the  Tree  of,  303. 
Merida,  109. 

Merry,  St.,  Church  of,  115,  224. 
Merseberg,  Church  of,  141. 
Mesopotamia,  47,  284. 
Messengers  of  God,  15. 
Messina,  115,  261. 
Methodius,  St.,  93,  232. 
Michael  Angelo,  30,  33,  282. 
Michael  of  Prato,  207. 
Michael,  St.,  4,  8,  182. 
Michael,  the  Archangel,  15,  16.  206,  232. 
Milan,  49,  57,  66,  67,  76,  78-80,  93,  130, 

197,  235,  236,  318,  320. 
Milan,  Bishop  of,  59. 
Milan,  Duke  of,  68. 
Millstone,  Symbol,  82. 
Miniato-del-Monte,  San,  163. 
Miniato,  or  Minias,  St.,  234. 
Minimes,  the,  31,  121. 
Minstrels,  Patron  of,  178. 
Miriam,  157. 
Miserere,  290. 


340 


INDEX. 


Misericordia,  the,  170. 

Musal,  the-,  28 J. 

"Missus  Est,"  6G. 

Mitre,  28,  58,  07. 

Modona,  125,  179. 

Modwena,  St.,  100,  234.     • 

Mohammed,  13,  1G2. 

Mohammedans,  124,  173. 

Mola  (li  Gaeta,  108. 

Moldau,  the,  166. 

Moiiachism,  Founder  of,  54. 

Monasteries  of  St.  Bernard,  67. 

Monastery  of  Novara,  67. 

Monastic  Orders,  26. 

Mongibello,  the  Volcano,  43. 

Monica,  St.,  30,  56,  235. 

Monreale,  Church  of,  186. 

Mons  Janicula,  255. 

Monte  Calvo,  88. 

Monte  Cassino,  64,  275,  297. 

Monte  Cassino,  Monaster}'  of,  29. 

Monte  Celio,  165. 

Monte-Joye,  Monastery  of,  67. 

Monte-Mayor,  170. 

Monte  Pellegrino,  273. 

Mont  Martre.  95. 

Montpelier,  268. 

Mont-Saint-Michel,  233. 

Monts-de-Pi^te,  68. 

Montserrat,  147. 

Montserrat,  Lady  of,  147. 

Moon,  Symbolism  of,  11,  20. 

Moors,  the,  113,  267. 

Morocco,  54,  119. 

Morsel  le,  137. 

Moscetta,  164. 

Moses,  19,  232,  235,  282,  289. 

Moses,  the  Candlestick  of.  13. 

Mother  of  Humanity,  209. 

Mother  of  Wisdom,"l9,  203. 

Mount  of  Olives,  near  Siena,  67. 

Mount  Sinai,  75. 

Mourning  Mother,  210. 

Mugnano.  115. 

Munich  Gallery,  256. 

Munster,  250. 

Murcia,  Leofric,  Earl  of,  132. 

MuriUo,  32,  96,  106,  116,  172,  267,  273, 

299. 
Musciatino,  208. 
Muscovites,  the,  50. 
Myra,  2-38,  292. 
Mysteries  of  the  Rosary,  274. 
Mystic  Thorn,  132. 


'VTABOR  and  Felix,  St.,  Church  of,  13a 

-L>      Nabor,  St.,  113,  236. 

Nabuchodonosor,  King,  173. 

Nails  of  tiie  Cross,  307. 

Nails,  Symbolism  of,  8. 

Naked  Bodies,  Little,  Sj'mbolism  of,  8. 

Nanterre,  125. 

Naples,  29,  76,  115,  153. 

Naples  and  Sicily,  187. 

Napoleon,  Lord,  97. 

Narbonne,  276. 

Narcissus,  St.,  41,  236. 

Natalia,  Wife  of  St.  Adrian,  40,  41,  236. 

Nativity,  the,  12,  169,  194,  274,  283. 

Nativity,  Church  of,  138. 

Nativity  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  191. 

Nr.tivity  of  John  the  Baptist,  158. 

Navona,  Piazza  (Rome),  45. 

Nazareth,  156,  167,  169,  200. 

Nazarius,  St.,  78,  130,  2o6. 

Nazaro-e-Celso,  SS.,  Church  of,  79. 

Nazaro,  San,  Church  of,  Milan,  79. 

Nazianzum,  136. 

Neot,  St.,  236,  290. 

Nepomuck,  St.  John,  165. 

Ncreus,  St.,  39,  237. 

Nero,  130,  254,  272,  302,  316,  320. 

Nero  de'  Neri,  261. 

Neuberg,  Kloster,  183. 

Newman,  Cardinal,  260. 

Nicaise,  St.,  237. 

Niccolo  di  Lido,  San,  218. 

Niccolo  Pisano,  33. 

Nice,  Council  of,  56. 

Nicene  Council,  90. 

Nicenc  Creed,  14. 

Nicholas  V  ,  Pope,  33. 

Nicholas  of  Myra,  St.,  237. 

Nicholas  of  Tolentino,  St.,  28,  30,  242. 

Nicholas,  St.,  36,  218. 

Nicodemus,  202,  287. 

Nicomedia,  City  of,  40,  92. 

Nile,  the,  235.  ' 

Nilus  of  Grotta  Ferrata,  243,  244. 

Niius,  St.,  Life  of,  29. 

Nimbus,  Symbolism  of,  2,  26. 

Nineveh,  173,  301. 

Nineveh,  Winged  Bulls,  23. 

Nismes,  131. 

Noah,  Sons  of,  16. 

Nocera,  Fortress  of,  86. 

Nolasco,  St.  Peter.  30. 

Nomentana,  Via  (Rome),  45. 

Nonna,  St.,  136. 


INDEX. 


341 


Nonnatus,  267. 

Norbert,  St.,  244. 

Norcia,  63. 

Norfolk,  100. 

Norica,  Prince  of,  72. 

Normandy,  233. 

Northumberland,  61. 

Northunibria,  100. 

Norwich,  145. 

No  vara,  67,  125. 

Novatus,  262. 

NoYon,  107. 

Numerian,  85. 

Numidia,  56. 

Nunc  Dimittis,  199. 

Nuremberg,  182,  276. 

Nutsall,  or  Nuscella,  Abbey  of,  70. 


OAK,  Augustine's,  58. 
Obsequies  of  St.  Ephrem,  Picture  of, 
108. 

Observants,  the,  31. 

Ocean,  Symbolism  of,  11. 

Off  a,  King,  46. 

Offero,  St.  Christopher,  82. 

Olive  Branch,  125. 

Olive,  Symbolism  of,  5,  20. 

Olivetani,  the  Order  of,  29,  30,  67. 

Olybrius,  214. 

Olympias,  Baths  of,  181. 

Omobuono,  St.,  245. 

Onesiphorus,  291. 

Onias,  the  High  Priest,  138. 

Onuphrius,  St.,  246. 

Oratorians,  Order  of,  260. 

Oratory  of  St.  Catherine,  Siena,  76. 

Orcagna,  Andrea,  33. 

Ordeal,  Trial  by,  246. 

Order  of  Mercy,  30. 

Order  of  Our  Saviour,  72. 

Order  of  St.  Anthony,  60. 

Order  of  St.  Basil,  93. 

Order  of  St.  Francis,  102. 

Order  of  the  Basilians,  60. 

Order  of  the  Benedictines,  63. 

Order  of  the  Carthusians,  72. 

Order  of  the  Holy  Trinity  for  the  Redemp- 
tion of  Captives,  165. 

Order  of  the  Hospitallers,  170. 

Order  of  the  Olivetani,  67. 

Order  of  the  Poor  Clares,  86,  118. 

Order  of  the  Visitation,  79. 

Orestes,  93. 


Organ,  Symbol,  78. 

Orientius,  St.,  180. 

Origen,  58. 

Orleans,  126,  149,  283. 

Oropesa,  170. 

Or-San-Michele,  Church  of,  107, 

Ortolana,  St.  Clara,  85. 

Osca,  or  Huesca,  180. 

Osma,  Bishop  of,  96. 

Osservanti,  Order  of,  68. 

Osthrida,  248i 

Ostia,  47,  165. 

Ostian  Gate,  251. 

Oswald,  St.,  92,  247. 

Otho  I.,  Emperor,  39. 

Otho  III.,  243,  244. 

Otter,  the  Symbol,  92. 

Ottilia,  St.,  248. 

Our  Lady  of  Mercy,  Order  of,  257. 

Ox,  the,  22. 

Ox,  Symbol,  195. 

Oxford  Library,  73. 

Ozias,  174. 


PADLOCK,  Symbol,  166. 
Padre  Serafico,  32. 
Padron,  151. 

Padua,  29,  31,  54,  179,  259. 
Palatine  Hill  (Ptome),  49. 
Palermo,  186,  273. 
Palestine,  186,  223. 
Pallium,  the,  55,  58. 
Palm,  56,  59,  75,  82. 
Palm,  Symbolism  of,  5,  20,  27. 
Palm  Tree  and  Palm  Leaves,  54. 
Palm  Tree,  Legend  of,  199. 
Pamoisin,  Du.  202. 
Pampeluna,  147. 
Pancras,  St.,  248. 
Pannonia,  220. 

Pantaleon  of  Nicomedia,  St.,  249. 
Panthera,  in  Lycia,  237. 
Paola,  121. 

Paola  delle  Tre  Fontane,  San,  251 . 
Paolo-fuori-le-mura,  San.  29,  251. 
Paolo,  St.,  Convent  of,  86. 
Paphnutius,  246. 
Paradise,  Rivers  of,  21,  24. 
Paris,  30,  54,  66,  69,  72,  81,  95,  97,  99,  107, 

115, 128, 131, 145,  147, 149, 165,  186,  224, 

259. 
Paris,  Matthew,  321. 
Parma,  35,  142. 


342 


INDEX. 


Pascasius,  187. 

Paschal,  78. 

Passion,  Symbols  of  the,  8. 

Passion,  the,  22. 

Passion  Week.  202. 

Pastoral  Staff,  28. 

Pastorus,  262. 

Paternosters,  96,  274. 

Patienza,  St.,  180. 

Patmos,  159,  161. 

Patras,  50,  189. 

Patriarchal  Cross.  4. 

Patrick,  St.,  71,  249. 

Paula,  St.,  155,  251. 

Paular,  near  Seville,  72. 

Paulina,  256. 

Paiilinus  of  York,  St.,  252. 

Paul,  St.,  25,  30,  47,  59,  87,  88,  90,  95, 130, 

134,  162,  189,  250,  253,  262, 286,  290,  291, 

302. 
Paul,  St.,  and  St.  John,  166,  251. 
Paul's,  Old  St.,  London,  111. 
Paul's,  St.,  Cathedral  of,  48. 
Paul's,  St.,  Monastery  at  Jarrow,  65 
Paul  the  Hermit,  53,  54,  251. 
Paul  v.,  209. 
Paul  Veronese,  93. 
Pavia.  30,  39,  57,  284. 
Pax  Yobis,  151. 
Peacock,  Symbolism  of,  5. 
Peeping  Tom  of  Coventry,  132. 
Pepa,  St.,  137. 
Pelagius,  Pope,  133,  287. 
Pelican,  Symbolism  of,  4,  12. 
Pembroke,  Earls  of,  100. 
Pentecost,  the,  5. 
Pcn/.iano.  Lorenzo,  116. 
Pepin  d'Heristal,  91,  143,  179. 
Pepin,  King,  322. 
Pepin-le-Rref,  King.  65,  70. 
P^re  des  Pauvres,  171. 
Porfetto  Legendario,  II,  219,  289. 
Perpetua,  St.,  252. 
Perseus,  129. 
Persia,  281. 
Peru,  185,  272. 
Perugia,  91,  117,  192. 
Perugia,  Bishop  of,  108. 
PeriigiiKi,  29. 
Peter  Exorcista,  St.,  256. 
Peter  Iirneus,  164. 
Peter  Martvr,  St.,  28,  32.  256. 
Peter  N<>ln>*co,  St..  30,  2.')7. 
Peter  of  Alcantara,  St.,  255. 


Peter  of  Clugny,  St.,  29. 

Peter  Kegolato,  St.,  257. 

Peter,  St.,  7,  9,  24,  25,  36,  42,  55,  58,  88, 
90,  130,  134,  144,  109,  180,  205,  217,  226, 
250,  253,  202,  203,  272,  286,  290,  320. 

Peter,  St.,  Sword  of,  8. 

Petersburg,  St.,  116. 

Peter's,  St.,  108,  185. 

Peter's,  St.,  Monastery  at  "Wearmouth,  65. 

Petronilla,  St.,  257. 

Petronius,  St.,  258. 

Philagatus,  243. 

Philastrius,  254. 

Philetus,  150. 

Philip  Benozzi,  St.,  259. 

Philip,  Deacon,  St.,  236,  259. 

Philip,  Emperor,  42. 

Philip  IL,  King  of  Spain,  95. 

Philip  IIP,  291. 

Philip  Neri,  St.,  260. 

Philip,  Proconsul  of  Egypt,  109. 

Philip,  Son  of  Felicitas,  112. 

Philip,  St.,  25,  229,  258. 

Philip  the  Apostle,  132. 

Philistines,  the,  129. 

Phocas  of  Sinope,  St.,  261. 

Phrygia,  2-39,  258,  281. 

Piacenza,  29,  269. 

Pianta  Leone,  "War-cry,  249. 

Piazza  del  Duomo  at  Florence,  328. 

Piazza  Navona  (Rome),  45. 

Piedmont,  49.  230. 

Pieta,  La,  210. 

Pietro  da  Cortona.  222. 

Pietro  di  Pavia,  164. 

Pietro  in  Montorio,  San,  255. 

Pietro  in  Tincoli,  San,  255,  278. 

Pietro  Martire,  San,  33. 

Pillar,  the,  307. 

Pillar  and  Cord.  Symbolism  of,  8. 

Pillars  of  Hercules,  151. 

Pincers,  56. 

Pincers,  Symbolism  of,  7,  8. 

Pinturicchio,  32. 

Pisa,  108,  115,  132,  179,190,  208,  265,  303. 

Pisann,  Niccolo,  33. 

Pius  L,  Pope,  263. 

Pius  TV.,  Pope,  FO. 

Pius  VII.,  Pope,  114. 

Pius  IX.,  210. 

Placentia,  243. 

Plaridus,  St.,  27,  29,  64,  110,  115,  261. 

Pinto.  49.  73. 

Plautilla,  262. 


INDEX. 


343 


Plessis-le-Tours,  121. 

Poissy,  186. 

Poitiers,  142,  265. 

Polan.l,  141,  286. 

Poland,  Patron  of,  73. 

Polesmarti),  234. 

Polycarp,  146. 

Pomegranate,  19,  171. 

Poniard,  Symbolism  of,  7. 

Pontine u,  Joan  of,  113. 

Pontius  Pilate,  172,  315,  322. 

Pontoi^^e,  145. 

Pontus,  261. 

Poor  Clares,  32,  76,  117. 

Porphyry,  75. 

Porta  Clkusa,  20. 

Porta  Pia,  Rome,  45. 

Porta  St.  Sebastiano,  Rome,  79. 

Porte  Maggiore,  Rome,  68. 

Portugal,  34,  155. 

Porzioncula,  the,  86. 

Potitus,  St.,  108,  262. 

Poussin,  108. 

Povere  Donne,  32. 

Powers,  the,  15. 

Prffitorian  Guards,  276. 

Prague,  166. 

Prassede,  Santa,  Church  of,  263. 

Prato,  Cathedral  of,  207. 

Prato,  Michael  of,  207. 

Pratum  Monstratum,  245. 

Praxides,  St.,  262. 

Preaching  Friars,  32. 

Prd-Montr^,  245. 

Presburg,  287. 

Presentation  in  the  Temple,  279. 

Presentation  of  the  Virgin,  191. 

Princedoms,  the,  15. 

Principalities,  the,  15. 

Prisca,  St.,  263. 

PrisciUa,  263. 

Prlscilla,  Catacomb  of,  Rome,  IJ 

Priscilla,  Cemetery  of,  90,  262. 

Priscus.  110. 

Probus,  40. 

Procession  of  the  Spirit,  14. 

Procession  to  Calvary,  202. 

Processus,  255. 

Procino,  45. 

Procopius,  St.,  5,  263. 

Proculus,  St.,  263. 

Prophecy  of  Simeon,  279. 

Protasius,  St.,  78,  130,  236,  263,  320. 

Protevangelion,  the,  167. 


Protus,  St.,  145. 
Provence,  165,  187,  227. 
Prudeniius,  109,  317. 
Psalm,  the  114th,  206. 
Ptolomeus,  Prince,  60. 
Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  198. 
Publius,  Prefect,  112. 
Pudens,  262. 

Pudentiana,  St.,  262,  264. 
Puerta  del  Cambron,  Toledo,  183. 
Pulciano,  Monte,  46. 
Purification  of  the  Virgin,  198. 
Purification,  the,  274. 
Purse,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Purse,  the,  25. 
Puy,  319. 
Pyx,  the,  86,  145. 


QUATTRO  Coronati,  264. 
Queen  of  Angels,  209. 
Queen  of  Heaven,  6,  209. 
Quintianus,  King  of  Sicily,  42,  43. 
Quintin,  St..  264. 
Quirina,  185. 
Quirinus,  St.,"  264. 
Quirinus,  the  Prefect,  58. 


EADCLIFFE,  Mrs.,  284. 
Radegunda,  St.,  264. 
Ragnar  Lodbrog,  100,  265. 
Raguel  of  Ecbatane,  299. 
Ragusa,  Patron  of,  69. 
Ralph  II.  of  Burgundy,  39. 
Ramirez,  King,  152. 
Ranieri,  St.,  265,  303. 
Raphael,  31,  32,  202,  214. 
Raphael,  the  Archangel,  15,  16,  266. 
Ravenna,  55,  79,  161,  271. 
Raymond  of  Peflaforte,  St.,  267. 
Raymond,  St.,  72,  267. 
Razzi,  33. 

Red  and  Black,  Symbolism  of,  9. 
Red,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Reggio,  121. 

Regina  Angelorum,  6,  125,  193,  209. 
Regina  Cocli,  209. 
Regina  Coeli  laetare,  Alleluia,  263. 
Regulus,  St.,  268. 
Rehoboam,  304. 
Remi,  St.,  88. 
Repandum,  322. 


344 


INDEX. 


Reparata,  St.,  7,  268. 

Repose  ill  Egypt,  ltJ8. 

Repose  of  the  Holy  Family,  199. 

Repton,  ii2'2. 

Repton,  Monastery  of,  137. 

Resurrection,  tlie,"22,  274,  283. 

Reuben,  Tribe  of,  172. 

Rheinis,  237. 

Rlieiins,  Cathedral  of,  13. 

Rheims,  School  of,  72. 

Rhine,  the,  290. 

Rhone,  the,  131. 

Riccio,  Andrea,  32. 

Richard  I.,  129, 

Richard  of  Xorraandy,  233. 

Richard,  St.,  145. 

Richelieu,  320. 

Rictius  Varus,  264. 

Rimini,  125,  269. 

Riuaklo,  297. 

Riposo,  a,  200. 

Riva  di  San  Marco,  217. 

Rivers  of  Paradise,  21. 

Robbia,  Luca  della,  32. 

Rocca-Secca,  297. 

Rocco,  San,  270. 

Roch,  St.,  35,  36,  268,  278. 

Roll  of  Music,  Symbol,  78. 

Roll,  the,  16. 

Romain,  St.,  271. 

Roman  Cross,  3. 

Romano  the  Hermit,  64. 

Rome,  29,  30,  31,  33,  38,  39,  45^7,  49,  55, 
57,  58,  63,  66,  68,  72,  77-79,  85,  87,  88, 
90,  91,  95.  97,  99,  111-114,  116,  119,  121, 
124,  133,  145-147,  154,  159,  161,  165,  166, 
•  180,  181,  185,  186,  190,  216,  217,  222,  232, 
236,  243,  312. 

Romualdo,  St.,  28,  271. 

Romulo,  St  ,  36,  272. 

Rosa  di  Lima,  Santa,  272. 

Rosa  di  Viterbo,  St.,  32,  273. 

Rosalia  of  Palermo,  St.,  273. 

Rosary,  the,  96,  202,  274. 

Rosary,  Mysteries  of  the,  21. 

Rose  of  Sliaron,  6. 

Roses,  20,  28. 

Roses,  Miracle  of  the,  106. 

Roses,  Symbols,  98. 

Rouen,  271. 

Rubens,  34,  184. 

Rufina,  St.,  178,  276. 

Rusticus,  95. 

Ruth,  19. 


SABERIA,  220. 
Sabina,  St.,  145,  275. 
Sabine,  St.,  Convent  of,  97. 
Sabineila,  262. 

Sabiiiella,  Queen  of  Egypt,  73. 
Sabran,  Count  of,  102. 
Sacro  Speco,  Subiaco,  29. 
Sainte  Beaume,  La.  226. 
Sainte  ChopcUe,  La,  186,  306,  307. 
Salamanca,  21)8. 
Sales,  St.  Francis  de,  79. 
Sallust,  181. 

Salutation  of  Elizabeth,  194. 
Salutation,  the,  102. 
Salvi,  Monastery  of,  164. 
Samia,  281. 
Sammichele,  32. 
Samos,  84. 
Samson,  124,  129. 
Sancha,  Queen  of  Naples,  102. 
Sanchez  de  Cepeda,  Don  Alphonso,  289. 
Sancian,  Island  of,  123. 
San  Domingo,  185. 
San  Jos^,  290. 
Sansovino,  32. 
Santa  Casa,  275. 
Santa  Croce,  Rome,  68,  161,  305. 
Santa  Maria  Novella,  Florence,  83. 
Santiago,  150,  152,  291. 
Saone,  the,  70. 
Sapor,  King,  176. 
Sapritius,  98. 
Sara,  15. 

Saracens,  the,  65,  141,  241,  276. 
Sara  of  Ecbatane,  299. 
Sardinia,  108. 
Sardinian  Order,  230. 
Sargossa,  317,  318. 
Sarmatia,  50. 
Sarto,  Andrea  del,  30. 
Satan,  Black,  Symbol  of,  9. 
Savia,  207. 
Savonarola,  267. 
Savoy,  230. 
Saw,  the,  25. 
Saxony,  70. 
Scaccieri,  265. 
Scales,  16. 
Sceptre,  125. 

Schiller's  "Fridolin,"  107. 
Scholastica,  St.,  29,  64,  94,  276. 
Sciffo  Favorino,  86. 
Scipios,  the,  155,  251. 
1  Solavonia,  141,  2U. 


INDEX. 


345 


Scotists,  99. 

Scotland,  50. 

Scourge,  Symbolism  of,  7,  8,  28. 

Scroll,"  125^ 

Scrolls,  Symbolism  of,  24. 

Scythia,  50,  258. 

Sealed  Book,  the,  21. 

Sealtiel,  the  Praying  Spirit,  15. 

Seamless  Garment,  Symbolism  of,  8. 

Sebald,  St.,  276. 

Sebaste  in  Cappadocia,  69. 

Sebaster,  158. 

Sebastian,  St.,  7,  35,  36,  171,  249,  276. 

Secundus,  St.,  279. 

Seine,  St.,  Abbey  of,  65. 

Selene  in  Libya,  127. 

Seleiicia,  292. 

Sempronius,  the  Prefect,  44,  45. 

Senario,  Monte,  259. 

Sens,  186,  252. 

Seraph,  the,  27. 

Seraphia,  275. 

Seraphic  Order,  69. 

Seraphic,  the,  116. 

Seraphim,  the,  14,  16. 

Serapion,  279. 

Serapis,  217. 

Serena,  Empress,  288. 

Sergius,  271. 

Serpent,  the,  25. 

Serpent,  Symbolism  of,  5,  12,  19. 

Serracina,  133. 

Servi,  or  Serviti,  Order  of,  259. 

Servi,  the.  30. 

Servius  Tullius,  263. 

Seth  and  the  Tree  of  Mercy,  303. 

Seven,  the  Mystic  Number,  13. 

Seven  Churches,  159. 

Seven  Joys  and  Sorrows  of  the  Virgin,  13, 

21. 
Seven  Joys  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  279. 
Seven  Maccabees,  112. 
Seven  Sleepers  of  Ephesus,  279. 
Seven  Sons  of  St.  Felicitas,  112. 
Seven  Sorrows  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  279. 
Severianus,  264. 
Severino,  San,  Church  of,  29. 
Severus,  Emperor,  109,  130,  252,  264. 
Sevignd,  Madame  de,  79. 
Seville,  72,  106,  149,  170,  172,  178. 
Seville,  Cathedral  of,  114. 
Seville,  Isidore  of,  149. 
Seward,  Siward,  or  Sigward,  276. 
Sforza,  Francesco,  283, 


Shaftesbury,  101. 

Shears,  Symbolism  of,  7. 

Sheba,  Queen  of,  281,  304. 

Sheep,  24. 

Shell,  Symbolism  of,  7. 

Shepherd,  the  Good,  24. 

Ship,  Symbolism  of,  7. 

Shtaneshalck,  142. 

Sibylla,  303. 

Sibylla  Cimmeria,  281-283. 

Sibylla  Cumana,  281-283. 

Sibylla  Delphica,  281-283. 

Sibylla  Erythraea,  281-283. 

Sibvila  Europa,  281-283. 

Sibvlla  Hebraica,  281-283. 

Sibylla  Hellespontina,  281-283. 

Sibylla  Libyca,  281-283. 

Sibvlla  Persica,  281-283. 

Sibylla  Phrygia,  281-283. 

Sibylla  Samia,  281-283. 

Sibyllr.  Tiburtina,  281-283. 

Sibylline  Leaves,  281. 

Sibyls,  35,  280. 

Sicily,  77,  187,  261. 

Siegfried,  Count,  127,  141. 

Siena,  33,  67,  118,  132. 

Siena,  Duomo  of,  51. 

Sigismond,  St.,  34,  80,  283. 

Silesia,  145. 

Silvestro,  St.,  Church  of,  at  Rome,  38. 

Simeon,  196,  198,  284. 

Simone  Memmi,  33,  266. 

Simon  Magus,  254. 

Simon  Peter,  50. 

Simon,  St.,  25,  145. 

Simon  the  Pharisee,  225. 

Simon  Zelotes,  or  the  Zealot,  St.,  284. 

Sinai,  Mount,  75. 

Sion,  67. 

Sion,  Mount,  204. 

Siponte,  232. 

Sisiberto,  Archbishop,  148. 

Sissek,  264. 

Sisto,  San,  190. 

Sisto,  San,  Madonna  di,  29. 

Sixtus  IL,  180. 

Sixtus  IV.,  Pope,  121. 

Skull,  Symbolism  of,  7,  12. 

Slaves  with  Broken  Chains,  28. 

Smyrna,  146. 

Society  of  Jesus,  185,  286. 

Socrates,  93. 

Soissons,  91. 

Solomon,  303. 


346 


INDEX. 


Solomon's  Temple,  303. 

Sophia  of  Thuniigia,  1(J3. 

Sorbonne,  the,  210. 

Sorrows,  Seven,  of  the  Virgin,  13. 

Spagnuoli,  Chapel  of  the,  3;J. 

Spagnuoli,  Sau  Giacomo  degli,  Church  of, 

•JG. 
Spalatro,  the,  284. 
Spasimo  di  Sitilia,  Lo,  202. 
Spear,  the,  25. 
Spear,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Spice,  Boxes  of,  S^'mbolism  of,  8. 
Spoleto,  G3. 

Sponge,  the,  306,  and  note. 
Sponge,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Stabat  Mater,  210. 
Staff,  IG,  58. 
Staff,  Pastoral,  28. 
Staff,  the  Pilgrim's,  25. 
Stag,  the,  28. 

Standard,  Symbolism  of,  7. 
Standard,  the,  27. 
Stanislaus  Kotzka,  St.,  34,  28^. 
Star,  Symbol,  97. 
Star,  Symbolism  of,  20,  28. 
Stem  of  .Jesse,  20. 
Stephanie,  244. 
Stephen  II.,  Pope,  95. 
Stephen  of  Hungary,  St.,  287. 
Stephen,  St.,  7,  35,'  180,  286,  304,  307. 
Stigmata,  the,  27,  77. 
Stirling,  Mr.,  172. 
Stirling's  "Artists  of  Spain,"  273. 
Strada  di  Costanza,  91. 
Strasburg,  248. 
Strasburg,  Cathedral  of,  31. 
Stridonium,  154. 
Strozzi,  (?liapel,  33. 
Suabia.  183. 

Subiaco,  G4,  115,  230,  261. 
Subiaeo,  Cave  of,  29. 
Sudarium.  287,  316. 
Suetonius,  281. 
Sueur,  i.e,  30. 

Sun,  Symbolism  of,  11,  20,  28. 
Susanna,  288. 
Susanna,  St.,  287. 
Sweden,  71. 

Swp'lon,  St.  Catharine  of,  77. 
Swidbort,  St.,  289. 
Swithin,  St.,  200. 
Sword,  59. 

Swords  of  the  Apostles,  8. 
Sword,  Symbolism  of,  7,  16. 


Sylvanus,  Son  of  Felicitas,  112. 
Sylvester,  Bishop  of  Kome,  88,  89,  290. 
Sylvester,  St.,  4. 
Sylvia,  133,  134. 
Symbolism  of  Colors,  8. 
Symbolism  of  the  Monastic  Orders,  25. 
Symbols  of  Angels,  14. 
Symbols  of  God  the  Father,  9. 
Symbols  of  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  12. 
Symbols  of  God  the  Son,  11. 
Symbols  of  the  Apostles,  24. 
Symbols  of  the  Evangelists,  21. 
Symbols  of  the  Trinity,  14. 
Symbols  of  the  Virgin,  17. 
Synagogue,  Symbolism  of,  11. 
Syracuse,  187,'  189. 
Syria,  119,  227. 
Syro,  or  Syrus,  St.,  284. 
S'yrus,  225. 
Syrus,  St.,  284. 


TABLET,  Symbol,  94. 
Tacitus,  281. 
Taddeo  Gaddi,  29,  33. 
Tagaste,  56. 
Tankelin,  245. 
Taper,  Symbolism  of,  6. 
Tarantaise,  67. 
Tarascon,  219. 
Tarentum,  243. 
Tarquin,  281. 
Tarragona,  293. 
Tarsia,  30. 
Tarsus,  47. 
Tarsus,  Ships  of,  197. 
Tasso,  246. 
Tau  Cross,  3. 
Tc  Dcum,  57. 
Templars,  the  Laws  of,  66. 
Temple  of  Solomon,  20. 
Temptation,  the,  9. 
Teresa,  St.,  13,  27,  185,  273,  289. 
Terracina,  39,  79. 
TertuUus,  261. 
Tetramorph,  the,  20,  23. 
Thaddeus,  St.,  25,  38,  284. 
Thamyris,  291. 
Tluba'is.  the,  217,  230. 
Theban  Legion,  40, 129,  229,  279,  293. 
Thebes,  246. 
Thecla,  St.,  291. 
Theoclea,  291. 
Theodobert,  King,  183. 


INDEX. 


347 


Theodora,  90. 

Theodore,  St.,  of  Heraclea,  293. 

Theodore,  St.,  of  Venice,  293. 

Theodoret,  254. 

Theodosius,   Emperor,   49,  136,  162,  163, 

279,  287. 
Theonestus,  St.,  293. 
Theonotus,  308. 
Theophania,  39. 
Theophilus,  St.,  98,  293. 
Theresa,  St.,  172. 
Thermutis,  235. 
Thessalonica,  49. 
Thetford,  101. 

Thirty  Pieces  of  Silver,  Symbolism  of,  8. 
Thomas  a  Becket,  St.,  27^  294. 
Thomas  Aquinas,  St.,  32,  47,  99,  297. 
Thomas  of  Villanueva,  St.,  the  Almoner, 

298. 
Thomas,  St.,  25,  197,  206,  207,  293. 
Thomas,  the  Disciple,  38. 
Thomists,  99. 
0,  or  0€ds,  54. 
Thorwaldseu,  153. 
Thrones,  the,  15. 
Thuringia,  70,  264. 
Tiber,  the,  47. 
Tiberias,  Sea  of,  225. 
Tiberius,  Emperor,  315. 
Tibertius,  St.,  299. 
Tiburtina,  the  Sibyl,  195. 
Tiburtius,  77. 
Timotheus,  207. 
Tiro,  81. 
Titian,  33. 

Title  of  Accusation,  306. 
Titles  of  the  Virgin,  17,  18. 
Tivoli,  281. 
Tobias,  139,  267,  299. 
Toledo,  29,  113,  148.  182,  183. 
Toledo,  Castle  of,  114. 
Toothache,  Patroness  against,  56. 
Torches,  Symbolism  of,  11. 
Torlosa,  151. 

Torpe,  or  Torper,  St.,  302. 
Torre  de'  Spechi,  116. 
Totila.  King  of  the  Goths,  65,  108,  268. 
foubert,  or  Touberch,  109. 
Toulon,  226. 
Toulouse,  54,  187. 
Tours,  221. 
Tours,  Bishop  of,  71. 
Tower,  59. 
Towei  of  David,  20. 


Trajan,  87,  110,  135,  146. 

Traiiquilliuus,  Ausanus,  51. 

Transliguration.  the,  159. 

Trastevere,  the  (Rome),  50,  246. 

Travellers,  Patron  ot,  178. 

Tree  of  Life,  the,  303. 

Trent,  145. 

Trenthani,  322. 

Treves,  48. 

Triangle,  Symbolism  of,  10,  14. 

Triuita,  Church  of  the,  164. 

Trinita-di-Monti,  121. 

Trinity,  the,  16,  303. 

Trinity,  Symbols  of  the,  10,  14. 

Trissma,  292. 

Trojan  War,  283. 

Troyes,  120. 

True  Cross,  the,  186,  303. 

Trumpets,  16. 

Tubal-Cain,  179. 

Tunic,  Blue,  9. 

Tuscany,  260,  268. 


UAVAS,  Father  G.  de,  242. 
Ubaldini,  House  of,  86. 
Uberto,  Bishop,  208. 
Ugolotto  Caccianemici,  307. 
Ulpho,  Prince  of  Norica,  72. 
Ulrich,  Prince,  263. 
Ulster,  250. 

Umbria,  Citta  Ducale,  112. 
Umilita,  St.,  307. 
Unicorn,  the,  179,  193. 
Unicorn,  S3'mbolisra  of,  5. 
Urban  II.,  Pope,  72. 
Urban  VI.,  Pope,  77. 
Uriel,  the  Archangel,  15,  16. 
Ursula,  St.,  7,  36,  82,  91,  308. 


T7AGA0,  the  Eunuch,  175. 

▼       Valencia,  96,  185,  187,  298,  318,  319. 
Valens,  Emperor,  60. 
Valentinian,  Emperor,  222. 
Valentinian  III.,  255. 
Valeria,  320. 
Valerian,  St.,  77,  85,  92. 
Val(^rie,  or  Val^re,  St.,  220. 
Valerius,  317. 
Valerius  Flaccus,  258. 
Valid,  Daughter  of  Pharaoh,  235. 
"Valley  of  Wormwood,"  66. 
Valli^re.  Louise  de  la,  187. 


348 


INDEX. 


Vallombrosa,  Order  of,  164. 

Vailombrosians,  the,  28,  29. 

Valois,  Felix  de,  1(35. 

Vandals,  the,  57,  237. 

Van  Dyck,  34. 

Vannes,  319. 

Varro,  281. 

Vatican,  Uie,  33,  15G,  244,  251,  255,  264, 

273. 
Vaudois,  the,  96. 
Vega,  Garcelasso  de  la,  123. 
Veneziano,  Antonio,  266. 
Venice,  166,  173,  179,  185,  217,  242,  249, 

270,  293,  306. 
Venice,  Patroness  of,  75. 
Venus,  the  Temple  of,  305. 
Venus,  "Worship  of,  178. 
"  Verbum  sum,"  195. 
Vercelli,  Bishop  of,  46. 
Verdiana,  St.,  315. 
Verdun,  141. 

Verona,  30,  50,  89,  256,  322. 
Veronese,  Paul,  93. 
Veronica,  St.,  11,  315. 
Verulam,  46. 
Verue,  129. 
Vesica  Piscis,  the,  2. 
Vespasian,  Emperor,  315. 
Vesuvius,  Mount,  154. 
Via  Appia,  Rome,  79. 
Via  Dolorosa,  202. 
Via  Nomentana  (Rome),  45. 
Via  Tiburtina,  Rome,  181. 
Victor,  St.,  of  Marseilles,  316. 
Victor,  St.,  of  Milan,  317. 
Vienna,  183,  286. 
Vienna,  Cathedral  of,  162. 
Villani,  Archbishop,  266. 
Vincent  de  Paul,  St.,  319. 
Vincent  Ferraris,  St.,  319. 
Vincent,  St.,  287,  317. 
Vincent,  St.,  Cape,  318. 
Violet,  Symbolism  of,  9. 
Virgil,  282. 

Virgin  Alone,  the.  208. 
Virgin  and  Child  Enthroned,  211. 
Virgin  Mary,  2,  5,  6,  8,  12,  13,  16,  17,  156. 
Virgin  of  Merry,  211. 
Virgin  of  Virgins,  209. 
Virgin,  Seven  .Toys  and  Sorrows  of,  13. 
Virgin,  Titles  of,"  17,  18. 
Virgo  Sapientissima,  209. 
Virtues,  the,  15. 
Vischer,  Peter,  276. 


Visconti,  Bianca,  283. 

Visitatii)n,  Order  of,  79. 

Visitation,  the,  102,  194,  274,  279. 

Vitalicino,  King.  178. 

Vitalis,  Son  of  Felicitas,  112. 

Vital  is,  St.,  of  Ravenna,  320. 

Viterbo,  273. 

Vitus,  St.,  320. 

Voltaire,  186. 

"  Volto  Santo,''  or  Vera  Icon,  316. 

Votive  Pictures,  34. 

Vox  clamantis  in  deserto,  158. 

Vulgate,  the,  154. 


WALAIS.  the,  67. 
Walbeck  Church,  141. 
Walbeck  in  Saxonv,  41. 
Walburga,  St.,  184,  321. 
Walking  on  the  Sea,  28. 
Walpurgis  Night,  321. 
Walpurgis  Oil,  321. 
Walpurgis,  St.,  29. 
Wandering  Jew,  the,  321. 
Wartburg,  Castle  of,  103,  105. 
Warwickshire,  235. 
Wastein,  Monasteries,  72. 
Wearmouth,  Monastery  of,  65. 
Weedon,  322. 
Well,  the,  20. 
Wenceslaus  IV.,  166. 
Wenceslaus,  St.,  189. 
Wenzel,  St.,  189. 
Werburga,  St.,  322. 
Westminster,  160. 
Westminster  Abbe}',  102. 
Westphalia,  111. 
Wheels,  Symbolism  of,  7,  75. 
Whitby,  142. 
White  Friars,  33. 
White,  Symbolism  of,  8,  29,  32. 
Wild  Beast.s,  28. 
Wilfrida,  100. 

William,  Duke  of  Aquitaine,  66. 
William,  St.,  145. 
William  the  Conqueror,  233. 
WiUibald,  St.,  321. 
Wilton,  100. 

Winburn,  Convent  of,  821. 
Winchester,  290. 

Wincliester,  Abbey  of  Nutsall,  70. 
Winfred,  St.  Boniface,  70. 
Wings,  16,  23. 
Wiseman's,  Cardinal,  "Hidden  Gem,"  48. 


INDEX. 


349 


"Woman  of  the  Apocalypse,  2. 
Wool-comb,  Symbol,  69. 
Worcester,  Bishop  of,  99. 
Worcestershire,  58. 
Work-basket,  Symbol,  193. 


XAVIER,  St.  Francis,  34. 
Xeres,  Battle  of,  113. 


YELLOW,  Symbolism  of,  9. 
York,  252. 
York,  Archbishop  of,  70. 
Yorkshire,  Festival,  69. 


ZACHARIAS,  124,  167,  194,  201. 
Zadkiel,  the  Angel,  16. 
Zambri,  the  Magician,  89. 
Zebedee,  150,  159. 
Zeno,  89,  264. 
Zeno,  Emperor,  59. 
Zeno,  St.,  of  Verona,  322. 
Zenobia,  St.,  of  Florence,  323. 
Zingara,  or  Gypsy,  the,  200. 
Zingaro,  Antonio  lo,  29. 
Zoccolanti,  the,  31. 
Zosimus,  223. 
Zurbaran,  30. 


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